El Paso church pastor arrested on charges he supplied alcohol to teen girl he met on church trip

An El Paso church pastor was arrested Thursday on charges that he supplied alcohol to a 16-year-old girl.

31-year-old Carlos Alberto Cortez was being held on $3,000 bond in the El Paso County Detention Facility following his arrest on one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor.

Detectives identified Cortez as the “pastor of a local church,” but didn’t name the church. Authorities allege he provided alcohol to a 16-year-old girl he first met during a church trip.

“Cortez began communicating with the minor through text messages and made promises of gifts and aiding her in obtaining employment. On one occasion, Cortez picked the minor up from her home and furnished her with alcohol,” said El Paso police Detective Diane Mack.

KVIA 2019