A Florida teenager has been arrested for allegedly planning a mass shooting at a church and also faces child pornography charges.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrested 14-year-old Jose Pagan, Jr. after receiving a tip last week that the teenager had access to weapons and intended to attack a local congregation.
"HCSO received a tip that Jose Pagan Jr., 14, had access to weapons and was planning to conduct a mass shooting at a church near his home in Wimauma. It was also determined that Pagan was possibly connected to an active HCSO child pornography investigation," announced the sheriff's office on Wednesday.
"HCSO served a search warrant at the residence, where they found multiple firearms, ammunition, and electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material."
Pagan is facing charges of "Written or Electronic Threat to Conduct a Mass Shooting or Act of Terrorism," "In State Transmission of Child Pornography by Electronic Device," 14 counts of "Solicitation or Possession of Child Pornography 10 or More Images and Content of Images" and two counts of "Unlawful Use of Two Way Communications Device."
The investigation is ongoing, according to the county sheriff's office. While Pagan was initially charged as a juvenile, the state attorney general's office could later charge him as an adult.
"The age of the individual involved does not lessen the seriousness of these crimes," said Sheriff Chad Chronister, as quoted in the announcement.
"Threats of mass violence and the exploitation of children demand immediate action, and we will always move swiftly to protect lives and hold those responsible accountable."
Pagan was also reportedly linked to a neo-Nazi satanic group called the "Temple of Love," according to Tampa Bay-based Fox 13. The group believes that violence can be used to advance spiritual enlightenment.
Pagan did not specify to authorities which congregation he was going to attack, prompting authorities to patrol two churches near his home as a precaution, Fox 13 reports.
A report from the Family Research Council released last August titled "Hostility against Churches in the United States" states that over 400 acts of hostility were recorded against churches in the United States in 2024.
