HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A youth pastor and foster parent have been arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on human trafficking charges.
After a mother found alarming content on her 16-year-old's phone HCSO deputies started an investigation.
During the investigation, officers found out the child was using a meetup app called Sniffies to contact a 36-year-old identified as Moises Escoto. HCSO said Escoto solicited sexually explicit materials from the child in exchange for money and gifts and meet up with the child to engage in sexual acts.
The two have been in contact for nearly two years.
Escoto is a youth pastor at Iglesia de Cristo Misionera Mahanaim Church.
Through the investigation, detectives found a second suspect identified as Joel Lutz. Lutz, who is a registered foster parent is accused of using the same app to find and engage in sexual acts with a child.
Escoto and Lutz are both facing charges including human trafficking, lewd battery, unlawful sexual activity with a minor, etc.
