A former mayor of Paterson pleaded guilty to criminal contempt of court Thursday, admitting he violated a judicial order barring him from seeking public office.

Jose “Joey” Torres, 66, of Paterson, entered the plea during a hearing before New Jersey Superior Court Judge Marilyn C. Clark in Passaic County. The charge stems from his 2022 campaign to retake the mayor’s office, despite a 2017 court order disqualifying him from holding public office in New Jersey.

The plea agreement includes a recommendation for non-custodial probation, with the length to be determined at sentencing. Torres may also face mandatory fines.

“After his first conviction, the defendant had fair warning that any future attempt to return to public office or employment would result in a criminal charge. But he tried to run for his old seat anyway,” Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said. “When state law and the court say a disqualification is forever, they mean it. Those who don’t take forfeiture orders seriously will see us in court again.”

Drew Skinner, executive director of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), said, “No one is above the law, as this conviction demonstrates.”

Torres’ previous legal troubles began in 2017 when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit official misconduct. Prosecutors said he directed Paterson city employees to perform work on a private warehouse leased by his family members while on city time. He was sentenced to five years in prison and permanently barred from holding public office.

The most recent charge arose after Torres launched a mayoral campaign in February 2022, delivering a public speech announcing his candidacy and submitting petitions to the Paterson City Clerk’s Office. The clerk rejected the petitions, and Torres filed a lawsuit seeking to have them accepted.

A state grand jury indicted Torres in September 2023 following an investigation by OPIA’s Corruption Bureau.