Police; Christian Turcios Used Church Connections To Molest Children

[Whisper]

Christian Turcios, former church janitor/alleged kiddie-porn star.​

A man suspected of using his connections with two Valley churches to molest young children has been arrested, according to the Phoenix Police Department.
Christian Turcios, 26, was arrested Monday on suspicion of 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, along with child molestation and unlawful surreptitious video recording counts, according to police.
Turcios was first suspected in summer 2010, when an 11-year-old accused Turcios of molesting him at a church summer camp at Phoenix First Assembly, police said. Police were unable to make an arrest because of lack of evidence, said Sgt. Steve Martos, a spokesman for the Phoenix Police Department.
Our hearts are broken anytime there are allegations of any injury to a child," David Blythe, associate pastor at Phoenix First Assembly, said in a statement."It is out over whelming desire to protect innocent children in our care."
Blythe continued to say that Turcios was only a volunteer with the church and that he is banned from the church campus.
Investigators with the U.S. Department of Justice's Internet Crimes Against Children unit launched an investigation in October and were able to collect enough evidence to obtain a search warrant for Turcios' home in December, according to police. At his home, investigators found child pornography and images of Turcios engaged in sexual acts with children between 13- and 16-years-old, Martos said.
Turcios also served as a volunteer with junior high students for a year and a half at Highlands Church in north Scottsdale. On Jan. 1, he was hired as a custodian, according to police and Highlands Church.
Turcios also worked as a babysitter for members of Highlands Church, according to police. There is evidence that he abused children he babysat, police said. Detectives from the Crimes Against Children Unit of the Phoenix police said they have identified one of the victims he babysat, but are still working to identify several others.

"We are completely stunned and shocked," said Les Hughey, senior pastor at Highlands Church. "We are saddened for any victims. We didn't know it was going on."
Since learning about the arrest, Hughey said Turcios has been removed the staff and from any involvement with the church.

Investigators believe that he has been preying on young children for several years and that he worked to be in positions where he would be near children during church camps and other activities.
Police expect there to be several more victims.
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