MOORESVILLE, N.C. — A Mooresville minister accused of luring children from Argentina under the guise of missionary work is now in a Florida jail, waiting to be brought back to Iredell County.
[ READ MORE: Mooresville man arrested in Florida on international child sex crime charges ]
Luis Sosa preyed on two minors more than a decade ago after convincing their families to let them travel to the U.S. for a “once-in-a-lifetime” ministry opportunity, investigators said.
Channel 9’s Dave Faherty spoke with neighbors on Thursday who were surprised about the arrest.
They said Sosa was soft spoken and nice and that his family was involved in missionary work in South America.
However, Sosa is accused of committing sexual offenses involving two children from Argentina.
The arrest in Flagler County, Florida, ended with Sosa taken into custody while walking his dog.
Prior to fleeing North Carolina, Sosa lived in a quiet Mooresville neighborhood with his family, deputies said.
Sosa preyed on two Argentinian nationals between the ages of 13 and 17 years old, who were, at the time, part of a religious ministry led by him, investigators said.
“I was super surprised,” said a neighbor, who didn’t want to be identified. “He’s always been super nice … him and his whole family. And then I checked three times to make sure that’s who they were talking about.”
Sheriff Darren Campbell said the cases date back to 2008.
Sosa brought the victims to the U.S. under the false pretenses of a “ministry opportunity and a once in a lifetime trip,” deputies said.
At the time, Sosa had been granted temporary guardianship over the children during their travels.
The case was initially reported to Argentinian authorities before Iredell County deputies were alerted in August.
Sosa is now charged with human trafficking, indecent liberties with a child, and statutory sex offenses.
“We’re still working other cases and other victims but it’s very complicated and complex just because the fact that most of your victims are out of the country and then were brought here,” the sheriff said.
Sosa will be extradited back from Florida to Statesville, Sheriff Campbell said. He said that will happen over the next 10 days.
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