Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested two people accused of child trafficking, report
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Florida — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has charged a youth pastor and a foster parent with trafficking people.
When a mother found scary things on the phone of her 16-year-old son, HCSO deputies started looking into it.
During the investigation, police found out that the child was talking to a 36-year-old man named Moises Escoto through a meetup app called Sniffies. HCSO said that Escoto asked the child for sexually explicit materials in exchange for money and gifts. He also met up with the child to do sexual acts with him or her.
They have talked to each other for almost two years.
Iglesia de Cristo Misionera Mahanaim Church’s youth pastor is Escoto.
During the investigation, detectives found a second suspect, Joel Lutz, whose name they were able to find out. Lutz, who is a registered foster parent, is accused of using the same app to find and have sexual acts with a child.
Escoto and Lutz are both being charged with things like human trafficking, lewd battery, sexual activity with a minor without their parents’ permission, and more.
