Iglesia de Cristo Misionera Mahanaim Church's young Pastor, Moises Escoto, and a registered foster parent, Joel Lutz, were arrested for human trafficking. They allegedly solicited sexual activity from children via social media platforms.
Human Trafficking Case of the Young Pastor and Registered Foster Parent
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, an investigation into human trafficking led to the arrest of Moises Escoto, 36, a youth pastor, and Joel Lutz, 38, a registered foster parent. The New York Post reported that both men were taken into custody in conjunction with this investigation. As mentioned, Escoto and Lutz are being charged with human trafficking for using computer services or devices to solicit certain illegal acts, commercial sexual activity, lewd or lascivious exhibition defendant over 18, transmission of harmful material to minors, and illegal sexual activity against a minor.
Detectives opened the investigation after hearing a report from a parent that she discovered disturbing content on the phone of her 16-year-old daughter. The research found that Escoto had contacted the victim on Sniffies, a messaging and meetup app, approximately two years ago. From the first direct interaction with the young person, Escoto is said to have requested sexually explicit pictures and videos in exchange for monetary payments and presents. In addition, authorities arrested Escoto on Thursday, Feb. 9.
Miami Herald reported that based on the Hillsborough County Jail records, Escoto is under the terms of a bond amounting to $138,500 and is currently being detained in the facility. During their investigation, the detectives came across another man who also met a child through the Sniffies app and engaged in sexual acts with the child in exchange for money. According to the statement, deputies identified the suspect as Joel Ricky Lutz, who is 38 years old and registered as a foster parent.
As a result, the authorities took Lutz into custody on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the Outback Steakhouse in Pinellas County, where he worked, and is being detained under a bond of $280,500. However, the Florida Department of Children and Families stated that Lutz does not presently hold a license that allows them to act as a foster parent. The department is reportedly extremely troubled by the accusations that have been presented. They have also promised to assist law enforcement officials in their ongoing investigation whenever required.
On the other hand, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister expressed dismay regarding the arrested men who were supposed to be the mentors of the community of young people. Based on his statement, he was disgusted by the two men who victimized youth online. Sheriff Chronister also encourages parents to always be aware of what their children are doing online as well as where they are doing it.
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Human trafficking on Social Media
A report from Polaris stated that the internet has profoundly changed how people purchase and sell everything, including one another. Traffickers have been known to use social media to recruit new victims, spread the word about their trafficking operations, and exert control over victims by limiting their access to social media, impersonating them on the platform, or disseminating online rumors and false information about them. On the other hand, survivors are increasingly turning to social media to reach out for assistance or construct a support network that enables them to interact with one another, develop a community, and take on the role of survivor leaders.
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