Houston- from www.examiner.com - A Houston area priest is facing criminal charges after being caught in a police sting at a southeast side adult book store, a few miles from his church.
HPD was working a routine undercover sting at two adult video stores when they encountered Father Alberto A. Maullon, 52, of Point Lookout Drive.
That's the same street as his church, the St. Paul Parish in the Clear Lake/Nassau Bay area.
According to HPD Vice Squad officers familiar with the sting, an undercover officer saw him inside a private viewing booth at the "Big City Adult Book Store" at 10,105 Gulf Freeway.
The undercover officer approached and had a brief exchange of glances. Typically, according to HPD Vice officers, the exchanges are non-verbal, such as a nod or a direct way of approaching or standing by the door.
After that nod, one officer involved in the case says, "He whipped his junk out" and started masturbating.
The criminal complaint filed in Harris County Court at Law #4 spells out that he was masturbating in a public place, specifically an adult book store.
While being booked by HPD, Maullon told officers he was a priest, according to one officer involved in the sting.
When reporters contacted the Catholic Diocese of Galveston-Houston late Thursday night, the phone message was not immediately returned.
Police say Father Maullon's arrest was one of 6 on Wednesday night along the Gulf Freeway.
Also arrested was Edward Muth, 62 of the 2700 block of Suffolk in Houston. Police say he exposed himself to an undercover officer, masturbating without regard to others who may be present or offended.
A third person, the store manager, was arrested for violating the city's Sexually Oriented Business laws.
At another location, the "24/7 Video Store" at 9999 Gulf Freeway, police say they arrested several other men for the same sort of behavior.
