HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Two men — a youth pastor and a registered foster parent — were arrested and charged with human trafficking, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.
The agency said its human trafficking department started its investigation on Feb. 9 when a mother contacted them after finding "disturbing content" on her 16-year-old's cell phone.
The investigation led detectives to find 36-year-old Moises Escoto had been talking to the teen for at least two years. Escoto reportedly found the teen on a chat and meetup app called "Sniffies." Since finding the teen on the app, Escoto has asked for sexually explicit photos and videos in exchange for money and gifts, detectives said.
He also reportedly met with the teen in secret to have sex.
At the time of his arrest, Escoto was a youth pastor at Iglesia de Cristo Misionera Mahanaim Church on N Armenia Avenue in Tampa, according to deputies. He was arrested for human trafficking and other charges on Feb. 9, the sheriff's office said.
During their investigation, detectives said they found another man who victimized a child on the Sniffies app and engaged in sexual acts with that child in exchange for money. Joel Lutz, 38, lives in Pasco County and is registered as a foster parent, the agency said.
Working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Lutz was arrested on Feb. 15 at an Outback Steakhouse in Pinellas County where he worked.
"It is absolutely disgusting that these two men, who were placed in positions of mentorship and trust with children in our community, used online apps to seek out and victimize our youth," Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a release. "Unfortunately, we know that predators are constantly on the hunt to ruin the innocence of our community. I urge parents to know where and what their children are doing online at all times. We will not stop searching for these deviants wherever they may be, and we ask for parents and the community to help us protect our precious children."
The sheriff's office said its investigation remains active and asks if anyone has information to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200.
Both men face the following charges: Human trafficking for commercial sexual activity, lewd or lascivious battery, use of computer services or devices to solicit certain illegal acts, traveling to meet minor after using comp services or services to solicit certain illegal acts, use of computer services for lewd or lascivious exhibition defendant over 18, transmission of harmful material to minor, unlawful use of two-way communications device, unlawful sexual activity with a minor, and more charges.
If you suspect someone is a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888.