A 23-year-old church driver is facing multiple felony charges after Miami police say he sent sexually explicit messages to a 13-year-old girl he transported to and from church classes.
Elvin Daniel Ortiz Cruz appeared Monday in court, accused of promoting sexual performance by a child, electronic transmission harmful to a minor, and soliciting and luring a child to engage in sex.
Police said Ortiz Cruz worked as a driver for Ministerio Internacional Jesús El Salvador on Northwest 23rd Street, giving him access to the girl and other juvenile students.
Investigators said the probe began Nov. 3, when the girl’s mother discovered the messages and reported them to authorities.
“It appears that the church employee requested several inappropriate photos from that minor as well as requested to engage in a sexually inappropriate phone conversations with that minor as well,” a police spokesperson said.
Miami Police Department detectives from the Special Victims and Internet Crimes Against Children units conducted an undercover operation, during which an officer posed as the victim and exchanged messages with Ortiz Cruz.
Investigators said he continued sending inappropriate messages and asked for photos and videos of the teen.
Ortiz Cruz was arrested Sunday outside the church.
Police said he has no prior convictions involving children but warned there could be additional victims and urged anyone with information to come forward.
He remains in custody and is expected to appear before another judge Tuesday.
