Charges: Crystal, Minn. church helper had sex with 15-year-old runaway, flew to Philippines before arrest

CRYSTAL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A church helper in Crystal, Minnesota is accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl then leaving the country on a one-way ticket before facing arrest.

According to officers, police learned of the sexual encounters after speaking with the teen girl after she had been reported as a runaway. According to officers, Crystal police interviewed the girl to learn what happened while she was missing.

During the interview, the girl told police she had been with 23-year-old Matthew Dikit Datuin for the three to four days she was missing and had multiple sexual encounters. The victim also told police Datuin knew she was only 15.

In the charges, police say the girl told them she had met Datuin at a church in Crystal where he was a youth helper.

When speaking with Datuin, police say he gave the girl his cell phone because he was worried about her well-being. On the day she went missing, Datuin reportedly told officers that she had texted him to pick her up.

Datuin admitted to engaging in sex in a parking lot before taking the girl to his home. He also admitted to police that he knew the girl was only 15.

After the interview, police say they later learned that Datuin had left the country, taking a flight to the Philippines on a one-way ticket.

Officers say the state has requested a warrant to bring him back to Minnesota.

He faces charges of criminal sexual conduct and a sentence of up to 15 years behind bars if arrested.