Big wooden sign on a building stating boy scouts of america
Big wooden sign on a building stating Boy Scouts of America

Daytona Beach Scout Leader Arrested for Child Molestation

December 8, 2023

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/.

Shore News Network

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.