A Long Island pastor is facing a lengthy prison sentence for possessing sexually explicit images and videos of young boys he chatted with online, a crime that federal prosecutors have described as “unspeakable.”
Jose Saez, Jr., 29, admitted guilt in Central Islip Federal Court to sexual exploitation of a child after soliciting disturbing content on an encrypted messaging service where he engaged in inappropriate conversations with minors, as reported by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
According to prosecutors, the pastor also had explicit discussions with an undercover agent in August 2023, confessing to sexually abusing an infant and expressing interest in younger victims within the context of his church.
Saez, who served as a pastor at Iglesia Cristiana Alumbrando El Camino church in Brentwood, disclosed to the operative that he targeted children between the ages of 11 and 15 for his heinous acts, prosecutors revealed.
US Attorney John J. Durham stated, “The defendant’s sexual exploitation of minors, both in person and online, is horrific, and he now faces at least 15 years in prison for his unspeakable crimes. That he held a position of trust and responsibility as a pastor of a local church makes his conduct even more reprehensible. Protecting vulnerable children from predators like this defendant will always be a priority of this Office.”
The father of three was apprehended on September 28, 2023, following a tip received by the FBI’s Long Island Child Exploitation Task Force regarding his illicit activities with children.
During a search of his Brentwood residence, investigators discovered 15 disturbing videos in a saved conversation on Telegram from Saez’s phone, one of which depicted a 16-year-old boy engaged in explicit acts.
Saez admitted to officers that he had requested the videos from the minor, whom he knew was a high school student, and had shared them with at least 10 individuals.
The FBI’s New York Division disclosed that the pastor had been targeting young boys since 2000, using platforms such as Snapchat, Telegram, and KIK to contact his victims while posing as a woman of varying ages.
Saez is facing a potential 30-year prison term when he is sentenced on September 3, according to prosecutors.
FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Leslie Backschies commented, “The defendant not only admitted to sexually abusing young children, but also discussed his church and his congregants as targets of additional abuse. His sustained exploitation of children – in person and online – is clear, and this plea is a step forward on the road to justice for his victims.”
The pastor’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Post.
