Torres Coached Thousands of Long Island Children

accused of molesting an 8-year-old girl in Plainview on two occasions, spent 10 years working in his position for the and coached thousands of Long Island children, town officials and police said.

That chilling fact has Nassau County Police fearful that other children may have been victimized by the former New York Yankee, whose indictment contains of the accusations leveled against him. The so-called "felony complaint" describes explicit details of Torres exposing himself to the child and having her touch him inappropriately. (See attached PDF file; Warning: graphic content.)

In addition, Torres was hired by the town in May, 2002, despite having served five years probation on felony drug possession counts. The charges dated to 1985.

Nassau Police Detective Sgt. Robert J. Matedero confirmed Thursday that special victims officers are reaching out to league organizers to see if others have been victimized. He said the investigation is ongoing, given Torres' decade-long access to young children.

Torres' lawyer, Scott Carrigan of Garden City, said Wednesday his client vehemently denies the charges. Torres was released from the Nassau County Jail Thursday on $50,000 bail. He at his home in North Massapequa. Carrigan declined further comment Thursday.

Over a 10-year period while employed by the Town of Oyster Bay, Torres worked as an advisor and youth baseball coach to thousands of children at various training clinics and at summer youth baseball and softball leagues, town officials said. He would travel to indoor clinics held in school gymnasiums and coach kids at youth baseball games in Syosset, Plainview, Farmingdale and Massapequa, among others.

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At least one Plainview-area parent told Patch both her children attended separate clinics where Torres was present. The parent said her daughter attended several sessions in Hicksville during the winter. The parent's son was at a baseball camp two summers ago in Farmingdale and still has Torres' autograph.

In both instances, Torres was big on signing autographs, and would sign for anyone who asked, the parent said. Torres also participated in a Middle School, dressed in a Yankee uniform and vintage cap.

His full-time town job, which included indoor coaching sessions during the winter months, including in Plainview, paid $83,000 annually. His was the only such coaching position in any sport on the town payroll, said Phyllis Barry, a spokeswoman for the town.

Barry said the town is continuing to cooperate with law enforcement officials about the extent of contact Torres may have had with young children over that period of time.

Torres had a full schedule year round, Barry said, working in school venues and on playing fields where various leagues requested his advice on playing and hitting. He is also a co-founder of Winning Beyond Youth, a fitness and personal growth organization.

Barry said she didn't know whether Torres was a member of any town union. She could not say why Torres was hired despite his drug conviction, for which he served 5-years probation. Barry said she would look into the town's policy on hiring convicted felons, but did not immediately know the answer.

was charged Tuesday in connection with two separate incidents of sex abuse involving the 8-year old girl that occurred in Plainview. He is charged with abusing the child on two different occassions, once on April 30 and again on May 7, police said.

Torres, who played parts of two seasons during the 1970s with the Yankees, told arresting officers he was "sorry" for the incidents and "stopped himself" before further damage was done to his victim, court documents revealed.

A native of Puerto Rico, Torres grew up in Queens and was drafted by the Yankees in 1966. He hit five home runs and 16 RBI in 89 career games as a Yankee outfielder in 1971-72. He spent a total of nine years in the major leagues with several teams.

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