Ex-youth pastor pleads guilty to child porn charges

A former El Paso youth minister pleaded guilty to child porn charges on Thursday.

Joseph Tapia III was a youth minister for three years at San Jose Catholic Church in the Lower Valley.

Tapia admitted to receiving batches of child pornography and taking pictures of children he knew from his church.

The FBI started looking into the case after co-workers reported discovering suspicious pictures on his work computer.

According to documents obtained by ABC-7, Tapia told investigators he took video and pictures of teens changing clothes for church performances.

Two of the boys told investigators he touched their genitals.

Agents also tracked sexual online chats he had with teenage boys.

Tapia is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 18.

Tapia faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and must register as a sex offender.

He also must forfeits his Mercedes Benz and dozens of electronic items.

According to the complaint affidavit, Tapia’s employer, Excel Learning Center, alerted authorities in Oct. 2011 because Tapia had allegedly received pictures on his work computer of 7, 12 and 13 year olds showing their genitals.

The Catholic Diocese of El Paso has indefinitely suspended Tapia in May when he was arrested.

“… Please be advised that prior to his arrest, neither Diocesan representatives nor San Jose Parish representatives had received any notice Mr. Tapia was allegedly receiving or producing child pornography. Prior to his selection as a youth minister, Mr. Tapia was subjected to a customary criminal background check, which did not reveal any adverse information. Mr. Tapia completed the Safe Environment and Sexual Harrassment Training provided by the Diocese of El Paso and was in compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. Since his appointment as a youth minister at San Jose Parish, there have been no complaints about his behavior. Mr. Tapia has been indefinitely suspended as youth minister for San Jose Parish pending a complete investigation of the allegations by the Diocese and San Jose Parish. The suspension is for an indefinite time period since the investigation by the Diocesan and San Jose Parish cannot interfere with the ongoing FBI investigation,” said Deacon Carlos E. Rubio, Vice-Chancellor for the Catholic Diocese of El Paso, in a statement.

According to the diocese website, the Safe Environment and Sexual Harrassment Workshops “are for all volunteers and employees of the diocese and are necessary in order to provide a safe environment for all.” The workshops are offered several times a year.

The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People is a comprehensive set of procedures established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in June 2002 for addressing allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy. The Charter also includes guidelines for reconciliation, healing, accountability, and prevention of future acts of abuse, according to the USCCB Website. The Charter directs action in all the following matters:

Creating a safe environment for children and young people

Healing and reconciliation of victims and survivors

Making prompt and effective response to allegations

Cooperating with civil authorities

Disciplining offenders Providing for means of accountability for the future to ensure the problem continues to be effectively dealt with through a national Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection and a National Review Board