Ex-Catholic School Music Director Allegedly Sent Explicit Photo To Undercover Officer

A former music director in a Catholic school in Texas allegedly sought to engage in sex with a police officer, posing as a 14-year-old girl.

According to his arrest affidavit, obtained by USA-Today affiliated Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Lazaro Benito Rocha, 26, who used to work at a school under the St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles Catholic Church in Corpus Christi, was arrested May 9, on the suspicion of online solicitation and display of harmful material to a minor.

A joint undercover operation was launched by the Corpus Christi Police Department's internet crimes against children unit and agents from Homeland Security Investigations on May 6, during which the suspect responded to an advertisement on a website thinking that it was posted by a minor girl.

"During the conversation Lazaro Rocha stated 'anyone 18 and older can get in trouble if they were to be found with someone your age,'" the documents read. "On this same day, law enforcement stopped messaging Lazaro Rocha at that time."

This meant that Rocha was aware of the consequences of his actions, which were illegal. Nevertheless, the day after the undercover agent severed all forms of contact with him, the accused contacted the former, saying, “I’m not complaining. Are you?”

Rocha went on to ask for the agent’s number so they could keep in touch via text. After getting the number, he sent a picture of his genitals, asked if the girl had lost her virginity and suggested a range of sexual acts that the two can engage in.

During their sexual conversations, he also told her his age and profession, adding that he “wanted to have sex with the 14-year-old on the desk in his classroom,” the documents stated. The suspect followed up the interaction by sending the officer a picture of his desk and telling her they could perform oral sex on it.

Sammie H. Grunwald, the school's president, confirmed that the suspect worked there in a part-time capacity and has since been removed from the institute.

"We can provide at this time that Mr. Rocha met all safe environment requirements such as training, drug testing and a criminal history review," he added in a statement.

The arrest affidavit stated that as soon as the undercover operation began, officers kept a close eye on him at all times, even when he was inside the school premises.

“At the time the messages were received from Rocha, surveillance units at the school observed Rocha at the school and further observed his vehicle did not leave the school, indicating that Rocha was sending sexually explicit messages while in the school building," the documents read.

He was booked in the Nueces County Jail and his bail was set at $110,000, officials said. He posted bail May 12.