Elmer Pineda-Molina, a volunteer pastor from Santa Ana, was arrested on Sunday afternoon in Brea for attempting to arrange to have sex with someone who was posing as a teenage girl.
Pineda-Molina was arrested at the 800 block of East Birch Street and the Brea Police booked him on suspicion of contacting and meeting a minor for sexual purposes.
Pineda-Molina was identified as a volunteer pastor at Iglesia Ministerios Betesda in Santa Ana, according to a statement issued by the church on Monday, which is supporting the police investigation.
An organization called the CC Unit, or Creep Catching Unit, live-streamed the arrest was involved in the events that led up to it. The CC Unit is an independent group that identifies and confronts potential child predators.
Pineda-Molina is being held at the Theo Lacy Facility and he was scheduled to appear in court this week on Tuesday.
It is not clear yet if Pineda-Molina has retained an attorney.
