Text messages, allegedly between former Santa Fe priest and teen boy, included in court records

A former Santa Fe priest arrested last week on federal charges of sexual abuse of a 15-year-boy a decade ago wrote text messages to the alleged victim expressing his love for the youth and fretting about the potential damage to his own reputation, according to court records filed this week.

“I don’t want my name all over the papers or my reputation ruined because I fell in love with a minor,” Daniel Balizan allegedly wrote in a text message to the boy on Sept. 4, 2012. Prosecutors included the text message in a motion arguing that Balizan should remain in custody pending trial.

A federal magistrate judge on Monday ordered Balizan, 61, released on home arrest in Springer while he awaits trial.

About 50 people packed a federal courtroom in Albuquerque in a show of support for Balizan, who appeared at his detention hearing Monday dressed in a red-and-white prison uniform. He was released from custody after the hearing, his attorney said.

In a motion filed Sunday, prosecutors wrote that the U.S. government is “in possession of thousands of text messages that truly speak for themselves,” and cited several examples of texts that Balizan allegedly wrote to the victim in 2012.

“Like I told you before, I only feel bad because of your age,” Balizan allegedly wrote in another text message in September 2012. “... if you were 18 or over, I wouldn’t feel bad at all because I do love you.”

A third text allegedly said, “I want to be faithful to my promise of celibacy but desire to be more intimate with you.”

Prosecutors also alleged Balizan encouraged the boy to delete the text messages. “There is simply no question that (Balizan) knew John Doe was a minor when he engaged him in sexual activity,” prosecutors wrote in the detention motion. The alleged victim is referred to as “John Doe” in court records.

Federal Magistrate Judge Laura Fashing rejected a request from prosecutors to order Balizan held in a halfway house while he awaits trial on a single count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Balizan pleaded not guilty to the charge on Monday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaymie Roybal told the judge that the nature of the criminal charges Balizan faces requires that he remain in a halfway house to protect the public.

“This is a case of sexual abuse against a minor by a person of trust in the community,” Roybal said.

Prosecutors allege that by early September 2012, Balizan had engaged in sexual acts with the boy at Santa Maria de la Paz Catholic Church in Santa Fe.

Roybal also expressed concern that Balizan could attend religious services with people who could be called upon to testify against him at trial, creating a risk of witness tampering.

When Fashing asked Balizan where he planned to attend church, Balizan replied that he still has faculties as a priest and typically celebrates Mass at home.

The criminal charges follow a civil lawsuit filed in 2022 by the same victim, who now lives in Tennessee, alleging he was sexually assaulted at age 15 by Balizan. The alleged abuse occurred at Santa Maria de la Paz Church, where Balizan served as pastor from 2012 to 2022, the suit said.

Balizan’s attorney, Dan Cron of Santa Fe, said after the hearing that he could not comment about the allegations because he had not received any discovery from prosecutors.

Cron told the judge Monday that the priest has three siblings and a mother who live in Springer and is unlikely to flee pending trial.

When Cron asked Balizan’s supporters to stand, about 50 people in the packed courtroom stood.

“He has very strong community ties,” Cron told the judge. Balizan also owns a motel in Springer and hopes to continue working there while he confronts the charges.

“Mr. Balizan has been aware of the likelihood of federal charges for six months,” Cron said. “His prior actions have demonstrated better than words” that Balizan is willing to face the charges against him, he said.

Fashing ordered Balizan to remain under house arrest with electronic monitoring until his criminal case is resolved, but allowed him to work at his motel. Balizan’s brother, Tony Balizan, has agreed to supervise his brother until the case is resolved, Cron said.

The Archdiocese of Santa Fe issued a statement on Thursday, the day of Balizan’s arrest, saying that the archdiocese reported the allegations to civil authorities and removed Balizan from duties as a priest when the allegations came to light.