Grapevine pastor, substitute teacher accused of possessing child porn
NORTH TEXAS – A man who works as a pastor and teacher in Grapevine is under arrest for possession of child pornography, police said Friday.
The suspect, 38-year-old Arturo Alarcon, was an associate pastor at 121 Community Church. He was also a substitute teacher in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD and was a volunteer with the after-school program at the Grapevine Community Outreach Center.
Grapevine PD said the investigation started when a missionary couple discovered hidden cameras in a church-owned mobile home used to host visiting families. During the investigation, detectives found an image of child pornography on Alarcon's cell phone.
A police spokesperson said one of the cameras was designed to look like a clock. Another one was like a bug zapper. In the process of investigating the case, police say they found an image of child pornography downloaded onto Alarcon's cell phone. The image, they say, did not come from the hidden cameras and was not related to them.
Alarcon, though, was charged in both cases and arrested for possession of child pornography and invasive visual recording.
Alarcon is no stranger to Grapevine Police. The department has recognized him for his community service on at least two occasions. In 2023, it gave him a Latino Service Award calling him a "beacon of servant leadership."
Police said they do not have evidence of additional crimes at this time but are analyzing several electronic devices that were in Alacron's possession.
In a letter to parents obtained by CBS News Texas, GCISD said that Alacron had previously substituted at Timberline Elementary, but the district terminated his status as a substitute when told of his arrest. The letter said GCISD would provide more information to the community if police found a further connection to the school district.
Friday night, 121 Community Church officials released the following statement:
"It is with great sadness that we must inform you that Arturo Alarcon was arrested on charges of possessing child pornography and invasive visual recording. Mr. Alarcon previously served as a staff minister, and we terminated his employment with the church.
"After we received a report concerning a suspicious device, we immediately made a report to the Grapevine Police Department. During the resulting investigation, we were made aware that Mr. Alarcon was a person of interest. Upon this notice, we placed Mr. Alarcon on administrative leave pending the investigation. As reported by the Grapevine Police Department, the investigating detectives found a downloaded child pornography photo on his personal device, which was unrelated to our initial report.
"The Grapevine Police Department subsequently arrested and charged Mr. Alarcon, and we terminated his employment. The Grapevine Police Department has stated that the investigation is ongoing and there is no evidence of additional crimes. We have been in contact with the Grapevine Police Department and continue to cooperate with the investigation.
"We currently have no indication from law enforcement or any other source that local children were involved with the alleged conduct."
The church removed Alarcon's bio from its website.
