What did Moises Escoto and Joel Lutz do? Youth pastor charged over alleged trafficking in Florida

Moises Escoto, a youth pastor in Florida, was recently arrested for human trafficking alongside Joel Lutz, a registered foster parent. The two allegedly targeted minors on social media

36-year-old Escoto was arrested on February 9, 2023, when the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation after the mother of a 16-year-old victim reported finding disturbing content on the teenager's phone.

Escoto, a youth pastor at Iglesia de Cristo Misionera Mahanaim Church, is accused of contacting the victim two years ago on an app called Sniffies, where he solicited the minor for s*xual activity in exchange for money. Escoto also allegedly asked the victim for lewd pictures and videos at the time.

---

Moises Escoto's co-conspirator was arrested a week later

Moises Escoto’s co-conspirator Joel Lutz was also arrested on charges of human trafficking nearly a week after the former was taken into custody by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Joel Lutz, 38, a registered foster parent in Florida, was arrested on February 15, 2023, after investigations revealed that a second suspect was involved in the grooming of underage girls for human trafficking.

Investigators found that Lutz was also engaged in s*xual activity with a minor after meeting on the same app as Moises Escoto.

The sheriff’s office announced the arrest of the two suspects and expressed disgust at the predatory activity of the two Florida men, who were entrusted with mentoring the children in the community. The sheriff's office urged parents to stay vigilant against predators targeting young kids on social media. The statement read:

“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. Unfortunately, we know that predators are constantly on the hunt to ruin the innocence of our community."

It continued:

"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.”

---

Moises Escoto and Joel Lutz are facing multiple charges in connection to the incident, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

As per the New York Post, both suspects are being charged with human trafficking for commercial s*xual activity, use of computer services or devices to solicit certain illegal acts, lewd or lascivious battery, use of computer services for lewd or lascivious exhibition defendant over 18, traveling to meet minors after using comp services or services to solicit certain illegal acts, the transmission of harmful material to minor, unlawful use of two-way communications device and unlawful s*xual activity with a minor.

Authorities have urged people with any information on the suspects to reach out to law enforcement.