A Woodhaven man and former soccer coach was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing teenage girls and boys for over a year, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Harrison Torres, 23, is awaiting arraignment on four separate complaints charging him with first-, second- and third-degree sexual abuse, attempted use of a child in a sexual performance, promoting a sexual performance by a child, second- and third-degree criminal sexual act, third-degree rape, possessing a sexual performance by a child and endangering the welfare of a child.
“This case is every parents’ nightmare – a coach gains their trust and then betrays them in the most vile ways to feed his own sick, sexual desires,” said Acting District Attorney John M. Ryan. “This defendant is accused of forcing one boy against a wall and molesting him. The defendant is also alleged to have had both oral, anal and vaginal sex with teen boys and girls in his home and other locations. The defendant will be held accountable for these alleged actions. He now faces a lengthy term of incarceration.”
According to the first complaint, Torres allegedly had sex with an underage teenage girl in his home sometime between July 20, 2018, and Oct. 1, 2018. In a separate complaint, Torres also allegedly brought a teenage boy to his home between Nov. 1, 2018 and Dec. 31, 2018, and sexually abused the victim. Torres allegedly recorded these acts on video, a copy of which was allegedly recovered by police.
In the third complaint, on Nov. 7, 2018, Torres was allegedly at a high school in Woodside with the American Eagle Soccer Academy, the soccer academy that was operated by his father and had rented space from the school for an event. On this day, Torres allegedly shoved a 13-year-old boy against a wall and forcibly touched the child’s genitals.
Finally, it is alleged that sometime in February 2019, Torres asked a 14-year-old boy to send him photos of his penis in exchange for cash. Torres allegedly sent his own videos to the teenager – one showing Torres having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl and the other containing images of Torres having sex with a 13-year-old boy. Both videos were allegedly recovered by the police.
If convicted, Torres faces between 15 and 50 years in prison.
Acting DA Ryan also urged anyone who suspects their child may have been victimized by Torres to contact the police by calling 911 or walking into any police facility to report the abuse. Additionally, if anyone has any information regarding the abuse, they should call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers’s tip line at 800-577-TIPS.
