Alvarez given 50 years after sexual abuse of 12-year-old family member

By Sierra Flores

Special to the New

A Cameron County man will spend the next 50 years behind bars for his role in a child sexual abuse case. Valentin Torres Alvarez, a Mexican citizen, was found guilty by the jury in the 103rd District Court for sexually abusing an underage family member. The abuse started when the girl was only 12 years old and lasted more than six years. Torres Alvarez was found guilty on one count of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child, and two counts of Prohibited Sexual Conduct.

The abuse came to light in July of 2017 when the mother of the victim, who is now an adult, confronted her following very specific allegations. According to testimony heard in court, the victim was 12 years old when the abuse started during the summer months. It continued, discreetly, until she was aged 18. However, at least one family member may have suspected something was not right. The girl admitted to the abuse and, along with the support of her mother, reported it to authorities who conducted a lengthy investigation.

CAU Supervisor Brandy Bailey says similar scenarios are very common in abuse cases. “Since the inception of the Child Abuse Unit five years ago, statistics show more often than not, trusted family members are often the perpetrators. They take advantage of their position of influence and victims’ vulnerability and age to manipulate them and make them believe something bad will happen to their family, or themselves, if they speak up. ” said Bailey.