An Oklahoma City pastor receives 30 years for labor trafficking and crimes against minors
Elmer Baca Flores, a 41-year-old former pastor, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison following his conviction for trafficking members of his own congregation for forced labor and the sexual abuse of a child, OKC Fox reported. The sentencing follows a jury’s decision on November 3 to convict Flores on a litany of charges, including 13 counts of human trafficking for labor, one count of sexual battery, and multiple counts related to lewd acts and proposals involving a child under 16. This case marks a significant legal milestone, as the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics stated it resulted in the state’s first prison sentence for forced labor trafficking.
The investigation, which began in March 2025, revealed a pattern of spiritual and physical coercion used to maintain control over victims. According to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Flores operated his church, Ministerio Levantando Adoradores Para Cristo, out of his residence in the Oklahoma City area. Investigators found that Flores targeted the religious convictions of his congregants to manipulate them, often framing abusive or exploitative actions as spiritual requirements. For instance, a 15-year-old victim told agents that Flores used a “test” of her ability to resist temptation as a pretext to sexually batter her, as reported by The Oklahoman.
The mechanics of the trafficking were deeply tied to the isolation of the victims. Reports from News9 and hoodline.com indicate that Flores pressured individuals to quit their jobs and move into his home, which doubled as the church. Once isolated from their families and external support systems, victims were forced to work for him without any compensation. To ensure compliance, Flores allegedly used fear tactics, claiming he had ties to the MS-13 gang and threatening victims with physical harm if they attempted to leave or disobey his commands.
The investigation unfolded from a single report to a massive criminal case
The legal proceedings against Flores grew in scope as investigators uncovered the depth of his activities. The case initially gained momentum in March 2025 when a certified nonprofit service provider alerted the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics to allegations of trafficking. By April 2025, the Oklahoma City Police Department arrested Flores on three counts of lewd acts with a child. As the investigation deepened, the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office amended the charges in October 2025 to include human trafficking and sexual battery. By January 2026, the DA’s office filed even more charges, involving the human trafficking of eight additional adults, according to hoodline.com.
The sheer scale of the exploitation was highlighted by arrest affidavits. The Oklahoman reported that the investigation was spurred, in part, when fathers contacted police after their wives and children had moved into Flores’s home in Bethany and ceased all contact with their families. Upon investigation, police discovered several families with children, along with single women, residing inside the home under Flores’s control.
The legal consequences for Flores extend beyond his prison term. In addition to the 30-year sentence in the custody of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, an Oklahoma County judge ordered him to register as a sex offender. Authorities also noted that he will face deportation proceedings.
The human cost of spiritual coercion
The case highlights a particularly predatory intersection of religious authority and criminal exploitation. By using the pulpit to frame exploitation as “God’s will,” Flores was able to bypass the natural defenses of his victims. This method of psychological manipulation is a hallmark of high-control groups and individual predators who leverage faith to bypass personal boundaries.
“We were able to substantiate through interviews that this person was using fear to force these families to basically do whatever he wanted,” said Mark Woodward, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. The Oklahoma Bureau
The conviction rests heavily on the testimony of those who were targeted. Woodward noted that the bravery of the victims in sharing their stories was the essential component in securing this landmark sentence for forced labor trafficking in Oklahoma. While the legal victory establishes a precedent for how the state handles labor trafficking, the long-term impact on the families who were isolated and exploited remains a profound civic concern.
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