A Loxahatchee pastor is facing serious felony charges after a 15-year-old member of his Miami congregation told investigators he repeatedly touched her inappropriately on church grounds, according to deputies.
Deputies identified the pastor as 50-year-old Elco Vallier. He is charged with lewd or lascivious molestation and lewd or lascivious conduct. Investigators say the alleged encounters happened at Theophile Church in the Biscayne Gardens area of Miami. Detectives with the Miami-Dade Special Victims Unit secured an arrest warrant and, with help from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, arrested Vallier at his home in Loxahatchee.
The teen told deputies that Vallier "fondled her buttocks, rubbed her thigh, and attempted to kiss her on several occasions" while at the church, according to Local 10. Her mother contacted authorities after finding what she described as inappropriate text messages, which led detectives to open a criminal investigation.
What investigators allege
As part of the investigation, Miami-Dade detectives had the girl place a controlled phone call to Vallier, during which she confronted him about a lewd text message and the alleged touching. Arrest documents say Vallier did not deny having physical contact with her during that call, according to CBS Miami.
Detectives also allege that the behavior may have been occurring since the girl was about 13 years old, according to the same outlet.
Arrest
Authorities say Vallier was taken into custody in Palm Beach County on the Miami-Dade warrant and booked on the charges of lewd or lascivious molestation and lewd or lascivious conduct, NBC 6 reports.
Detectives are urging anyone with information, particularly parents whose children may have interacted with Vallier, to contact the Miami-Dade Special Victims Unit, according to the station.
Church response
When a 7News crew visited Theophile Church, parishioners said they were disturbed by the allegations, and a deacon told reporters off camera that Vallier had bonded out of custody, WSVN reported.
Theophile Church's website lists Rev. Elco Vallier among its leaders and gives the congregation's address as 15201 NW Seventh Avenue in Miami, according to the church's contact page.
Legal implications
Vallier is charged under Florida statutes that define lewd or lascivious molestation and lewd or lascivious conduct as intentional sexual touching of a person younger than 16, offenses that carry felony penalties, as outlined on the Florida Senate website.
Officials have asked anyone with information in the case to call the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office Special Victims Unit at 305-715-3300, according to NBC 6.
