By The newspaper
29 Sep 2023, 01:47 AM EDT
José Sáez Jr., pastor of a Christian church in Long Island (NY), was arrested on suspicion of producing child pornography, the FBI announced yesterday.
Saez, a father of three, was arrested after agents with the FBI’s Long Island Child Exploitation Task Force received an online tip that the pastor had been sexually active with minors, the agency’s office said. In New York.
He is pastor of the “Alumbrando El Camino” Christian Church in Brentwood, Suffolk County, he reported. News 12. While executing a search warrant, agents searched Sáez’s phone and found 15 videos containing child pornography in a conversation saved on Telegram, according to the criminal complaint, he noted. New YorkPost.
Sáez told officers that he knew one of the minors was a 16-year-old high school student and yet he had asked him to send him the videos. He kept them and sent them to at least 10 other people, he confessed.
Saez admitted to officers that he had engaged in similar conduct with numerous other minors and told them, “I’m sorry I can’t stop,” according to the complaint.
“The production of child pornography is one of the most horrendous crimes we face in our society,” James Smith, assistant director in charge of the FBI in New York, said in a statement. “It is even more worrying when the crime is allegedly committed by a leader at a local place of worship,” he added.
All charges are mere accusations and those charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
In a similar case, this month the FBI in New York accused Joshua Schulte, convicted in July 2022 of carrying out the most prolific leak in history, of transporting and possessing thousands of images and videos showing rape and sexual abuse of children. of the CIA.
Kevin Tomafsky, former assistant to Republican Chris Christie when he was governor of New Jersey (2010-2018), was also arrested on charges that he paid to participate in a sexual act with a six-year-old girl and possessed thousands of items of child pornography. in the house where he lived with his mother.
In August, a young New York City public school teacher was arrested on suspicion of exchanging sexual text messages with a 16-year-old student.
Also that month, a math teacher was sued, fired and charged with child abuse charges for allegedly filming an 11-year-old Hispanic student with his cell phone in the bathroom of a prestigious Catholic boys school in Manhattan (NYC).
In July, Richard Leaf, a 75-year-old former teacher and well-known Westchester County (NY) high school sportscaster, admitted to receiving child pornography. In June, Steven Marksberry, an NYPD officer assigned to the Bronx, was arrested at his Long Island home for alleged possession of child pornography.
In April, Damon Rallis, former vice president of the Southold Town (Long Island) Democratic Committee and former leader of that town’s Boy Scout troop, pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography. Also that month, a Latino construction worker was accused of using child pornography in New Jersey.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has warned since 2020 about an increase in cases of child pornography due to the increased time spent by adults and children online. If you are a victim or suspect that someone is being abused, especially if it is a minor or elderly:
I looked for help
- Call 988 or 1.888.NYCWELL (1.888.692.9355).
- Text “WELL” to 65173.
- Review information at https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/es/ and www.988lineadevida.org