Frederick County, Maryland — A former Maryland pediatrician who blamed his actions on demonic possession has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually abusing a young patient — a case that state prosecutors say represents only a fraction of the misconduct he is accused of committing over nearly four decades.
Court officials and state investigators describe the case as one of the most extensive pediatric abuse investigations in Maryland’s recent history.
Abuse Allegations Began With an 11-Year-Old Patient
The investigation into 74-year-old Ernesto Cesar Torres began in May 2019, when the mother of an 11-year-old girl reported that her daughter had been sexually abused during a routine pediatric exam.
According to court records, the girl had been brought in for a minor skin condition when Torres allegedly placed his hands inside her pants, touched her inappropriately, kissed her stomach, and made her deeply uncomfortable.
The family immediately switched pediatricians and contacted authorities. The Frederick Police Department then coordinated with Child Protective Services and the Child Advocacy Center, leading to an official interview where the young victim again described what Torres had done.
Torres was arrested shortly thereafter at his Frederick medical practice.
Investigation Expands to Dozens of Victims
What began as one report quickly expanded into an investigation uncovering decades of allegations. According to the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office, investigators identified at least 24 victims, all of them young female patients, spanning from 1980 to 2018. Many of the accounts, prosecutors said, involved Torres abusing children during exams — sometimes even with parents present in the room.
Frederick County State’s Attorney Charlie Smith described Torres’ conduct as “bold and brazen,” noting that he often disguised assaults as legitimate medical procedures.
“Some of the parents thought he was doing an abdominal survey,” Smith said. “Meanwhile, he had his hand down her pants and was committing a sex offense right in front of the mother.”
Despite the growing list of allegations in 2019, Torres was initially allowed to continue seeing patients under court-ordered restrictions. Only after a later hearing did he agree to stop practicing medicine entirely.
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Defense Claims of Demonic Possession Rejected
During sentencing, Torres reportedly showed no remorse. Prosecutors said he blamed the victims, claiming supernatural explanations for their accusations. At one point, he stated that he had been possessed by a witch and that demonic forces were influencing the girls to lie.
State’s Attorney Smith said Torres’ remarks only deepened the emotional harm caused to the victims.
“To traumatize this young girl again by saying she was possessed by demons was egregious,” Smith said. “He already traumatized them — sexually molesting them — and to blame them was horrible.”
One victim told the court:
“I now can’t trust male authority. My childhood was taken away from me.”
Another parent said she lived with guilt, unaware for years that her daughter was being abused by a doctor she trusted.
A Case That Changed Maryland Law
The Torres investigation also served as a catalyst for legislative reform. In 2013, Maryland closed a legal loophole that previously made it difficult to prosecute authority figures — including doctors — for sex crimes involving children. The change strengthened protections for young patients and allowed prosecutors to pursue more serious charges against Torres.
Smith said his office is preparing to move forward with additional prosecutions related to the other victims.
“We’re looking forward to prosecuting the other cases and getting consecutive sentences,” he said. “We intend to make sure he is held responsible for every victim.”
Torres will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.
Investigation Continues as More Victims Expected to Come Forward
Officials believe more victims may exist who have not yet spoken to law enforcement.
Smith encouraged them to step forward, assuring families that each account will be thoroughly reviewed, regardless of Torres’ age or current sentence.
“We think they need to have justice,” he said.
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