Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

The Marion Police Department has arrested a Marion man on multiple felony charges following an investigation into the alleged possession of child sexual abuse material.

According to the department, investigators were notified on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, after a reporting party discovered suspected child pornography on a personal desktop computer located at a residence on Ridgecrest Drive. The reporting party was interviewed, and investigators determined the computer belonged to 36-year-old Joseph Peter Torres.

Police said Torres was away from the residence at work when the report was made.

The Marion Police Department contacted the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Division to assist with the case. Investigators subsequently obtained a search warrant for the residence at 140 Ridgecrest Drive, along with electronic devices inside the home and those belonging to Torres.

The search warrant was executed later that day, and Torres was taken into custody.

He has been charged with 10 counts of Felony Third-Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Torres was booked into the McDowell County Sheriff's Office Detention Center under a $250,000 secured bond.

Police say the investigation remains active, and additional charges are pending.

The Marion Police Department thanked the SBI and its Internet Crimes Against Children Division for their assistance throughout the investigation.

As with all criminal cases, the charges against Torres are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.