September trial date for former Santa Fe priest accused of child sex abuse

Jul. 7—The U.S. District Court for New Mexico has set a September trial date for a former Santa Fe priest facing federal charges of sex abuse of a minor.

Daniel Balizan was a pastor at Santa Maria de la Paz Catholic Community in Santa Fe for a decade before he was removed by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in 2022. He is accused of enticement of a minor with the intent to engage in sexual activity during a relationship prosecutors say he had with a 15-year-old boy in 2012, according to a previous report in The New Mexican.

The federal court in Albuquerque issued a notice Tuesday setting a Sept. 11 trial date in the case.

Balizan was arrested June 29 in Springer. He will be allowed to await trial at his home there on house arrest with electronic monitoring, U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura Fashing ruled Monday.

Balizan, who has pleaded not guilty, faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison if he is convicted.