Member of El Paso Catholic Diocese School Board Arrested on Child Porn Charge

By Leonard Martinez, Darren Hunt
KVIA
August 7, 2014

http://www.kvia.com/news/member-of-el-paso-catholic-school-board-arrested-on-child-porn-charge/27336318

[with video]

[statement from the diocese]

Victor J. Reza, a member of the El Paso Catholic Schools Diocesan School Board, was arrested on Tuesday on a federal child porn charge.

According to jail records, Reza has been charged with in transit/receipt and distribution of child sexual exploitation material.

According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), child porn that was downloaded, not produced, was allegedly found on Reza's home computer.

A somber looking Reza did not answer any questions from the media as he was walked from the county jail to a vehicle Wednesday morning, pausing only to give a brief "no comment" before being seatbelted into the vehicle.

The diocesean school board oversees matters pertaining to education for the elementary and secondary schools of the diocese.

It's unclear at this point whether Reza had any direct contact with children as a part of the board.

The Catholic Diocese of El Paso released the following statement:

Anytime we hear of an allegation of sexual misconduct or abuse of a minor we are very concerned. Mr. Victor J. Reza is a member of our Diocesan School Board and has served since 2008.

The School Board members advise the Diocesan Bishop on matters of Catholic School Policies. They are required to undergo a criminal background check and Safe Environment training for the Diocese.

Mr. Reza completed these requirements. The Diocese cannot comment on the details of this issue since it is an ongoing criminal investigation.

In the Catholic Diocese of El Paso, we have diligently worked to make our parishes and schools safe from predators and to educate our people on the scourge of sexual misconduct and abuse.

This is one of the Diocese's highest priorities. It will be the priority of the Diocese to insure that any instances of sexual abuse by priests, religious, lay employees or volunteers are promptly reported in accordance with Texas laws and thoroughly investigated.

Priests or religious, or for that matter, any employee or volunteer of this Diocese who is determined to have engaged in sexual abuse or misconduct will be removed from his or her ministry.

I would like everyone to know of the fact that this Diocese has had a process in place for many years through which persons who claims to have been sexually abused by a priest, religious or employee of this Diocese can file a complaint and, if the complaint is found to be credible, receive relief in a form justified by the facts of the case.

This process involves confidentiality out of respect for the complainant and has been very successful. Individuals who make it known that they have been sexually abused are not just advised of the availability of the process but are urged to make use (of) it.

I encourage anyone who has been a victim of child sexual abuse by any employee of the Roman Catholic Church to please come forward by contacting Susan Martinez, LCSW, at the Victims Assistance Ministry, 915-872-8465 or smartinez@elpasodiocese.org. Furthermore, I would encourage them to contact local authorities.

Rev. Anthnoy C. Celino, JCL.

Vicar General/Moderator of the Curia

Reza is the second person with ties to the Catholic Diocese of El Paso to be arrested on a child porn charge in recent years.

In May 2012, Joe Tapia III, then a youth minister at San Jose Catholic Church in the diocese was arrested and charged with the sexual exploitation of children for allegedly receiving and producing child pornography.

In January 2013, Tapia was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on the charges. Tapia admitted in Oct. 2012 to taking pictures of two children changing for church performances and then he used those to try to obtain more sexually explicit images of children.

Tapia was also sentenced to lifetime supervision.

Tapia spent three years as the head of youth ministry at San Jose Catholic Parish.

Developing story. Check this story for more details as they become available.