Hampton man to be re-tried on sexual exploitation by school employee charge

HAMPTON — A re-trial for a Hampton man charged with sexual exploitation by a school employee is scheduled to start later this month.

28-year-old Ismael Rodriguez Torres pleaded guilty back in June to lascivious conduct with a minor and in August was given a two-year suspended prison sentence. Torres was originally charged with sexual exploitation by a school employee, a Class D felony, after an investigation into the alleged offense found that Torres supposedly had a sexual relationship with a female juvenile student in 2022.

Torres was a coach of a sports team the female was participating in. Police had said Torres told them he did have sex with the female on several occasions and also provided marijuana to the female on one occasion.

After being sentenced, Torres brought a post-conviction relief action, seeking to set aside the guilty plea and sentence in the case. He claimed that he received ineffective assistance of counsel for not adequately advising him of the consequences of a guilty plea or determination of guilty to his ability to remain in the United States since it was found that he is not a citizen of the United States. 

District Judge Rustin Davenport on December 31st granted that request. Torres demanded a speedy re-trial with his trial now set for January 23rd in Franklin County District Court.