Miami-Dade County, FL – The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit (SVU) has arrested a 50-year-old pastor accused of repeatedly fondling and attempting to kiss a minor girl on church property, according to investigators. The victim was reported as a 15-year-old girl.
Elco Vallier, 50, of Loxahatchee, Florida, was taken into custody on a Miami-Dade County arrest warrant for lewd and lascivious molestation and lewd and lascivious conduct on a minor. The arrest was executed with assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the investigation, the victim reported to Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office uniformed deputies that Vallier, who serves as a pastor at Theophile Church, had touched her inappropriately on multiple occasions while she was on church grounds. Specifically, the child described incidents in which Vallier fondled her buttocks, rubbed her thigh, and attempted to kiss her.
The victim’s mother further reported discovering inappropriate text messages sent by Vallier to her daughter, which raised serious concerns and prompted the family to contact authorities.
Through investigative efforts, SVU detectives obtained sufficient evidence to secure an arrest warrant. Vallier was located and arrested without incident on the Miami-Dade warrant.
The reported incident occurred on Sunday, February 9, 2026, at approximately 8:34 p.m., at Theophile Church, located at 15201 NW 7 Avenue, Miami. Theophile Church is a Haitian church and was founded in 1980 in Atlanta, GA.
The investigation remains ongoing. Vallier is being held pending first appearance in Miami-Dade County. Additional charges may be forthcoming as the case progresses.
Authorities remind parents and guardians to monitor communications between children and adults in positions of trust and to report any suspicious behavior immediately. Support services for child victims of sexual abuse are available through local child advocacy centers and the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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