A South Florida pastor is facing charges after a 15-year-old parishioner accused him of inappropriate touching. The pastor, 50-year-old Elco Vallier, is alleged to have fondled the minor's buttocks, rubbed her thigh, and tried to kiss her multiple times while on the grounds of Theophile Church in Biscayne Gardens, as reported by Local 10.
According to a statement obtained by CBS News Miami, the victim's mother found inappropriate text messages Vallier had sent to her daughter, which "caused her concern"; the mother's discovery led to an investigation by the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office and the Special Victims Unit detectives subsequently obtained an arrest warrant for Vallier, who resides in Loxahatchee.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office has called for anyone with information, or parents with children who may have been in contact with the accused pastor, to reach out to their investigators at (305) 715-3300. Vallier has been charged with Lewd or Lascivious Molestation and Lewd or Lascivious Conduct, though he was not listed among Miami-Dade County jail inmates following his arrest.
Further details of Vallier's arrest were facilitated by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office which played a part in apprehending Vallier for the Miami-Dade warrant.
