( CNN ) -- Evangelist Tony Alamo was arrested Thursday in Flagstaff , Arizona , on charges related to a child porn investigation , an FBI spokesman said . The 74-year-old founder and leader of Tony Alamo Christian Ministries was arrested without incident at 2:45 p.m. ( 4:45 p.m . ET ) as he was departing the Little America Hotel with his wife , said Manuel Johnson , spokesman for the FBI in Phoenix , Arizona . The FBI , the Flagstaff Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety were involved in the arrest , he said . Alamo was charged under a federal statute with having knowingly transported a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity , Johnson said . Alamo , whose real name is Bernie Hoffman , was taken to Coconino County Jail in Flagstaff , where he is to have an initial appearance Friday in federal magistrate court , Johnson said . Over the weekend , about 100 federal and state agents authorities raided Alamo 's 15-acre compound near Texarkana , Arkansas , and took six children into temporary custody . The children were interviewed as part of a two-year investigation into Tony Alamo Christian Ministries to determine whether they were physically or sexually abused , said Bill Sadler of the Arkansas State Police . Alamo , reached by phone Saturday in Los Angeles , California , denied any wrongdoing . `` It 's a hoax , '' Alamo said . `` They 're just trying to make our church look evil ... by saying I 'm a pornographer . Saying that I rape little children . ... I love children . I do n't abuse them . Never have . Never will . '' Asked why authorities were searching the property , Alamo compared himself to Christ . `` Why were they after Jesus ? '' he asked . `` It 's the same reason . Jesus is living within me . ''
Alamo : Founder and leader of Jesus arrested Saturday . FBI charged with transporting a minor across state lines to engage in sex . Federal and state agents raided Alamo 's 15-acre compound . Alamo called the investigation `` a hoax '' and likened himself to Tony Alamo Christian Ministries .