VOLUSIA COUNTY, FL – The Volusia Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a Daytona Beach scout leader, Vidal Torres Jr., aged 48, on charges of child molestation. Torres, an Assistant Scoutmaster in a Boy Scout troop, was apprehended following an investigation by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office Child Exploitation Unit.
The case emerged in mid-November when the family of a 14-year-old girl, a member of the troop and known to Torres, reported inappropriate sexual contact to the authorities. The subsequent investigation corroborated these allegations, leading to Torres being charged with four counts of lewd or lascivious molestation and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
Attempts to arrest Torres at his workplace were initially thwarted as he had left due to a “family emergency.” However, detectives eventually located and arrested him upon his return to the Daytona Beach area. Torres, who has confessed to the charges during an interview with detectives, is being held without bond at the Volusia County Branch Jail. The investigation confirmed that the abuse did not occur at official Scout events/.