A North Texas pastor is facing charges of possession of child sex abuse material (CSAM) and invasive visual recording after being accused of using spy cameras in a home where missionaries were staying.
Prior to his arrest, Arturo Alarcon, 38, was an associate minister at 121 Community Church in Grapevine, Texas, and a substitute teacher for the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex crimes that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
The investigation began when a missionary couple discovered a spy camera in a mobile home that is owned by 121 Community Church and is used to temporarily house visiting missionaries and others in need.
According to Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the couple found hidden cameras inside two alarm clocks and two wall plugs that were labeled “bug control” after hearing a noise coming from one of the clocks. The husband, who reportedly has a background in engineering, noticed something suspicious about the devices. After searching Amazon, he identified the devices as containing hidden cameras.
The wife told police that only Alarcon and pest control had access to the residence, along with possibly one other minister.
When questioned by police, Alarcon said that the items that were found to possess hidden cameras were donated.
According to WFAA, investigators searched Alarcon’s phone and found an image from a spy camera that had been placed in the bedroom of one of Alarcon’s underaged relatives.
Investigators also discovered a photo of a young girl, approximately 5 years old, standing in front of an erect penis. The image is not believed to have been taken by Alarcon but instead was downloaded onto Alarcon’s phone. The victim is not believed to be local to Grapevine.
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Alarcon denied having ever seen the images. Investigators intend to send the phone to the Secret Service to access a second user account, which is encrypted. Alarcon denies having any knowledge of the second account.
