J CARTER FOUNDATION
Emerging Threats
Control & Exploitation
Online scam operations netted criminals $25-64 billion globally in 2023, defrauding U.S. citizens alone of $10 billion in 2024 AI-generated deepfakes, voice/video manipulation to target and exploit victims, with over 20,000 AI-generated child sexual abuse images discovered on a single dark web forum in 2024 Control & Exploitation
Use the Internet to advertise and sell children for sex, transfer cryptocurrency to evade detection, and perpetuate online scam operations
Control victims remotely through blackmail (threatening to share explicit photos/videos), GPS tracking, and smartphone monitoring
Human Trafficking
Arrest
"Youth Pastor & Foster Parent"
By: Rebekah Nelson
Posted 3:22 PM, Feb 19, 2023
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A youth pastor and foster parent have been arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on human trafficking charges.
After a mother found alarming content on her 16-year-old's phone, HCSO deputies started an investigation.
During the investigation, officers found out the child was using a meetup app called Sniffies to contact a 36-year-old identified as Moises Escoto. HCSO said Escoto solicited sexually explicit materials from the child in exchange for money and gifts and meet up with the child to engage in sexual acts.
The two have been in contact for nearly two years.
Escoto is a youth pastor at Iglesia de Cristo Misionera Mahanaim Church.
Through the investigation, detectives found a second suspect identified as Joel Lutz. Lutz, who is a registered foster parent is accused of using the same app to find and engage in sexual acts with a child.
Escoto and Lutz are both facing charges including human trafficking, lewd battery, unlawful sexual activity with a minor, etc.
