New Tribes Mission Pastor distributed more than 6,000 child pornography pictures and videos online.

Thousands of images of child pornography, investigators said Friday, were found on the computer of a former local youth pastor. Deputies found the images and said the suspect admitted he's addicted to child pornography.

Investigators said 36-year-old Joel Price worked as a youth pastor at New Tribes Mission in Sanford. They said he resigned after undercover agents busted him looking at and distributing more than 6,000 child pornography pictures and videos online. "He was almost relieved to be caught and have this obsession stopped," said Gary Davidson, of the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

Volusia County investigators said Price confessed that he's obsessed with child pornography. Detectives said they got a tip that more than 6,000 child pornography photos and vidoes were being distributed on the Internet from Price's Deltona home, which is right across the street from a church.

Investigators traced the computer and illegal activity to Price, who detectives said works as a youth pastor at the Mission. "These cases are always shocking, always disturbing, particularly so when it's someone who works with children," Davidson said.

"To have someone that close by looking at that stuff, knowing there's a lot of kids in the neighborhood," neighbor Jason Martinez said. "You can't do bad things and expect not to get caught."

A representative with New Tribes Mission said Price worked in a missionary maintenance role with tribes in Venezuela, not as a youth minister. But WESH 2 reporters found a picture of Price going over a bible verse with a boy.

Investigators said they don't believe he carried out any sex acts with children, but said the Internet images are very real of girls younger than 12. "They were victimized when these images were shot and victimized over and over again when they're passed," Davidson said.

"I don't know how much help you can get those folks if they're really that into it," said Price's neighbor, Rose Mary Thompson. "Man's humanity towards man keeps getting worse and worse."

Price's arrest and federal indictment are the result of an eight month investigation. Volusia County investigators said it's one of the largest child pornography collections they've seen.