Homestead Youth Pastor Ricky Torcise Facing Sex Charges Involving Teen

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Sex charges have been filed against a South Florida church youth leader for allegedly engaging in sexual acts with a teenager.

According to Miami-Dade Police investigators, 67-year-old Ricky Torcise is a youth leader at the church where the 17-year-old victim attends in Homestead. Torcise is also his employer, according to the arrest report.

The crime reportedly happened at Torcise's home in Southwest Miami-Dade.

The teenage victim stated that he was fondled multiple times by Torcise for a period of four months. He also told police the fondling escalated to sex acts, according to the report.

The case is prompting a warning from veteran Miami-Dade Police detective Argemis Colome about how important it is is to keep an open line of communication with your children and getting them to talk about sensitive and sometimes embarrassing issues.

He told CBS4's Peter D'Oench "Having an open line of communication with children is so important. Talk to your children and let them know it is ok to talk and that they can trust you. And if you see any problems, give us a call. We are very fortunate the victim came forward and gave us information. This individual is a volunteer at a church and deals with the youth. This is a person that the community trusts and who parents trust to guide their children. It is very unfortunate what happened."

It is not known if there are any other victims.

Colome said "This is something that I can't even imagine happening or having this conversation with my child. This is very important what happened with this child coming forward and making this arrest. The last thing you would think would happen would be with someone from a church.

In Bond court, Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer ordered Torcise to have no contact with the victim.

"That is no contact with the child, either directly or indirectly or in person, in writing, by telephone or through 3rd parties and no contact with the victim through social media or electronic means. You must stay at least 500 feet away from the victim's home and do not engage in any criminal activity and do no possess or use any drugs. Do not use of possess a gun or firearm."

Glazer added another requirement.

"No contact with any child under the age of 18 and with regard to any contact with any children who may be yours you are to have no unsupervised contact with them."

Torcise was arrested earlier this week and charged with a felony count of sexual act with a child.

Detectives urge anyone that may have been victimized by Torcise to call the Special Victims Bureau at (305) 715-3300.

Colome said anyone who knows of any other victims can also call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).