Former Youth Minister Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Charges

By Jesse Martinez
Kfox 14
October 4, 2012

http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/news/former-youth-minister-pleads-guilty-child-porn-cha/nSTY9/

Joe Tapia

EL PASO, Texas — A youth minister accused of possessing pornographic images of children plead guilty and faces up to 30 years in prison, according to federal officials.

U.S. attorney Robert Pitman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Morgan announced that Joe Tapia, 46, pleaded guilty to solicitation of material relating to the sexual exploitation of children. Tapia made his plea Thursday before U.S. District Judge Frank Montalvo.

Tapia admitted that he had images of child pornography as well as a sexually explicit instant messenger chat with a 16-year-old male on his work computer.

Tapia also admitted that he recorded video and still images of two individuals while they were changing for a church performance.

Federal officials said Tapia used those recordings to solicit other images of child pornography.

As KFOX14 previously reported Jay Mortenson, an FBI agent specializing in Internet crimes against children, said Tapia filmed and took pictures of two 15-year-old boys, and both teens told the agent that Tapia grabbed and rubbed their private parts.

Mortenson said that information was given to them voluntarily by Tapia. He said they were initially investigating Tapia after a tip from Tapia's now former co-workers.

The El Paso Catholic Diocese said Tapia was a youth minister at San Jose Church. They said hepassed a background check and also took safe environment and sexual harassment training.

Tapia faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison.

Judge Montalvo is scheduled to sentence Tapia at 9 a.m. Jan. 16.