Aarn's wife was the church's first member. Only in September 2020 did the man plead not guilty to the crimes charged against him. "You have to follow certain steps to prove your loyalty.". They urged Judge Ronald Coen to impose a longer sentence, but he responded that his "hands are tied" by the agreement. If you have any questions please contact: Bilingual Services Program at (916) 210-7580. As of writing, the case is still being deliberated in a court of law. He is the fifth of eight children and during much . After La Luz Del Mundo megachurch leader Naasn Joaqun Garca was sentenced Wednesday to 16 years and 8 months in prison, the Law&Crime Network's Brian Ross. naason joaquin garcia released naason joaquin garcia released. Oaxaca pleaded guilty to one count of assault likely to cause great bodily injury in June. Biblical verses are cited to explain behavior. Christopher Kellermeyer, whose wife Alondra Ocampo was charged with being Garcas accomplice by acting as a groomer, said Garcas followers would not be easily persuaded of his guilt. According to VICE, the 53-year-old was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in June 2019. He is currently charged on more than 30 counts, including possession of child pornography, human. Joaquin Garca is described as serious, fearsome and strong-willed by those who know him, but there is little public information about him before his rise to power. I believe she [Ocampo] was brainwashed, said Martin. [6] On June 8, 2022, he was convicted and sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison. Garcawho took over as "apostle" after his father, Samuel Joaqun Flores, died in 2014had been subjected to a prosecution where evidence was "suppressed, withheld, doctored and altered," the statement said. The church's media relations office claims there is no crime in the area. Its unclear whether the latters work involves him marketing a team or sponsoring them, but we do know he appears perfectly content at the moment. After Fridays unexpected plea, he will instead face sentencing Wednesday. On June 8, 2022, Naasn was convicted for the three charges and sentenced to 16 years and 8 months behind bars. Because his religious registry is against Mexican Law now that he has been sentenced, there is currently a petition to remove his name from both The Light of The World church (iglesia La Luz del Mundo) and the Levitical Fraternity (Fraternidad Levtico) in that country. From the walls hang photographs of Joaqun Garca, smiling and wearing a tuxedo. While its leader, Naasn Joaqun Garca, has been idolized by millions of followers as an apostle of God, he just pleaded guilty to child sex abuse charges in Los Angeles on June 3. Parents give biblical names to their children and take them to the temple at 40 days old to promise they will guide them to follow their path. 13,512 Alert: Alzheimer's-Like Memory Loss Has Been Linked To This Common Pill 25,161 These Banks Pay Up To 17X The National Average On Your Savings 33,426 Sponsored Ad 8/21/2022, 2:19:28 AM We also claim so because it was recently reported that Naasns son Adoram acquired a massive mansion in Malibu, a highly affluent coastal community within Los Angeles. SACRAMENTO - California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced the arrest and filing of charges against Naasn Joaqun Garca (Joaqun Garca) and his co-defendants for alleged human trafficking, production of child pornography, forcible rape of a minor, and other felonies. "I think it changed for the better in the sense that now we feel more united, and we feel more empowered," she said. Todays decision demonstrates, as we have always said, that the Apostle is innocent and his innocence will be judicially proven through the course of the trial a Church spokesperson said in a written statement to Brian Ross Investigates. A megachurch has defended its leader after he was sentenced to more than 16 years in a California prison for sexually abusing girls in his congregation. In addition to his prison time, Garcia is expected to be ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. The arrests were the result of a joint effort between the California Department of Justice and a number of law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Los Angeles Airport Police. After several delays, Garcias trial was supposed to start with jury selection Monday before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen. In the criminal complaint filed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court, the California Department of Justice alleges Joaqun Garca and his co-defendants committed 26 felonies in Southern California over a period of approximately four years. My heart goes out to all those affected by the horrific actions brought to light during this case. Todos Los Derechos Reservados 2021 Infobae, Lawyers of the leader of the Light of the World threatened witnesses from the United States and Mexico, I saw a criminal: Naasn Joaqun's assistant told how he lived 30 years with the former leader of La Luz del Mundo, There is already a date for the trial against Naasn Joaqun Garcia: The Light of the World awaits justice for the Apostle of Jesus Christ. ", "I worshipped my abuser," said a woman identified as Jane Doe 4 and said she was his niece. Claudia Eunice Hernandez, a former member of the church who is in her early 30s and lives in Mexico City, said Garcias arrest in 2019 led some people to leave the church. This is a man who has committed atrocities in the name of God, in the name of this church and everything is an excuse. Sochil Martin, a former La Luz del Mundo member who has filed a civil RICO suit against Garcaand LLDM alleging sexual abuse and other crimes, was highly critical of the plea deal, and compared the church to a mafia-type organization that would continue to operate despite Garcas imprisonment. While he initially did not enter a plea, he was held at a shocking $50 million bail, generating massive outrage among his followers against the legal authorities. Castillo, a recently married woman of 25, told AP the church advises members how "to lead a decent life," in which women may not drink alcohol or go out on frequent dates. Three female church members also have been charged with various offenses. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Azalea Rangel Melendez, who is currently at large. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Born on May 7, 1969, in Guadalajara, Mexico, Naasn Joaqun Garcia was the fifth of Mexican church leader Samuel Joaqun Flores eight children. They have power, they have the money, she added. The California Department of Justice has also fought to protect juvenile victims of trafficking,bringing 54 felony chargesagainst the alleged operators of a statewide sex trafficking ring in 2017. Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov, State of California Department of Justice, Consumer Protection and Economic Opportunity, California Justice Information Services (CJIS), helped bring downthe worlds largest online brothel, push for the passage of the federal Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, Attorney General Becerra Announces Arrest of Naasn Joaqu. Garcia has been in jail for nearly three years awaiting trial, since state prosecutors charged him with abusing girls who belonged to his Mexico-based megachurch. From what we can tell, every member of the Joaqun family prefers to stay well away from the limelight these days, yet they do likely divide their time between their homeland of Guadalajara and their last known base of California. They had once been his most devoted servants. Where Are Naasn Joaqun Garcia's Wife and Kids Now? They allegedly were told that if they went against Garcias desires they were going against God. She claimed facing decades of abuse at the hands of the leaders, including Naasn and his late father, Samuel Joaqun Flores. He called Garca a sexual predator. If you see something, report it and we will vigorously pursue justice.. Many news outlets in Mexico featured Garcias guilty plea on their homepages Friday evening, including the online website Animal Politico and newspaper El Universal. While Flores was never charged with a crime, Garcias arrest and the subsequent charges against him made international headlines. Speaking on a podcast called "I Left a Sect," Lo-ami Salazar said Hermosa Provincia used to be her "happy place.". Please consult with a translator for accuracy if you are relying on the translation or are using this site for official business. "It has been a very difficult issue, of course, for him and for us," she added. Period, said Attorney General Becerra. Held in jail on $90-million bail, Garcia faced charges ranging from human trafficking and rape to forcible oral copulation of a minor and possession of child pornography. Illicit enrichment, money laundering, transfers to tax havens and the purchase of luxury goods and services were some of the alerts issued by the unit. But she also thinks many church members including her 85-year-old grandmother will continue to believe in Garcias innocence. Naasn Joaqun Garca may be released in December 2032 Aug. 21, 202200:24 La Luz del Mundo is a church that originated in Guadalajara, Mexico, in the 1950s and now has a presence in dozens of countries, including the United States. Earlier in 2020, a former La Luz Del Mundo church member, Sochil Martin, sued the church and its leaders. First published on June 8, 2022 / 3:01 PM. Matthew Ormseth is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. In addition, they accused the La Luz Del Mundo church of sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and gender violence, seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. They dont doubt that the servant of God is lying to them or that hes committing a crime against them. Martin, who left the church years earlier, said in an interview with Brian Ross Investigates. By Khaleda Rahman On 6/9/22 at 4:57 AM EDT. LOS ANGELES (RNS) Naasn Joaqun Garca, the leader of La Luz del Mundo, is facing a new lawsuit filed by five women who allege he sexually abused them while other church members groomed . The decision by Ocampo followed weeks of testimony by California state agents about her role in delivering young women to Garcia for sexually deviant acts, many of which she recorded on video for him. So far he remains imprisoned in the United States. [2], He continues to be named as Legal Representative of the church in Mexico in spite of having been convicted of child sex crimes. For some young people, these steps include memorizing songs honoring the apostle, reading the Bible before bed and not marrying someone from outside the church. In pre-trial testimony California state agents said the young victims in the case known as Jane Does 1-5 , described Ocampos role as a handmaiden, women who were groomed and were sexually abused themselves before doing the same to other young women in the church. The California attorney generals office, which is handling the case, also had accused Garcia of coercing underlings to recruit young girls for him to sexually abuse. Naasn Merar Joaqun Garca (born on May 7, 1969) is a Mexican religious leader and convicted child molester who is the third leader of the La Luz del Mundo church, succeeding his father, Samuel Joaqun Flores, in December 2014. In California alone it has about 50 locations. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Just days before his long-awaited trial was set to start, La Luz del Mundo leader Naason Joaquin Garcia pleaded guilty Friday to sexually abusing girls from his congregation, a stunning . Every defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty. Born in Argentina but raised in Los Angeles, Miller is a graduate of Oberlin College and Columbia Universitys School of Journalism. Alma was seemingly always well respected but just not as popular, especially considering her position and the fact theres little to absolutely no information available on her on any public platform. Faithful attend a Santa Cena or Holy Supper service in the La Luz del Mundo or the Light of the World flagship temple in Guadalajara, Mexico, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022. Many lifted their fists. Hence, in September 2022, they filed a detailed civil lawsuit against Naasn for sexually abusing them, alleging other church members groomed them and used the religion as ammunition to manipulate them. LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The leader of a Mexico-based evangelical megachurch is due in a Los Angeles courtroom today to face sentencing following a deal with prosecutors last week in which he agreed to plead guilty to three sex counts involving minors. One commenter speculated about whether the terms of the plea deal might call for Garcia to out other alleged abusers in the church. While he maintained his innocence for three years, Garca has . Ruiz told The Associated Press that his family has belonged to La Luz del Mundo for three generations. She was provided by Mrs Ocampo, provided whipped cream, strawberries, lingerie, and the other girl would spray the whipped cream and strawberries on each other and then lick them off, said Special Agent Troy Holmes in court. The other individuals named in the complaint are Alondra Ocampo, Azalea Rangel Melendez, and Susana Medina Oaxaca, all of whom are affiliated with La Luz Del Mundo. They can never accept responsibility for themselves and for their actions. Defendants facing state criminal allegations are eligible for bail in most cases, allowing them to await future court dates out of police custody if they have the financial resources to post bail. While Naasn maintained he was innocent for several months as he awaited his trial, in a shocking turn of events, he accepted a plea deal just three days before his trial commenced in June 2022. Naasn Joaqun Garca in Los Angeles County Superior Court on June 8. The leader of a Mexico-based evangelical megachurch has been sentenced to over 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to three sex-related counts involving minors. March 21, 2022 17:02 ET | Source: The Light of the World. We should mention that according to Vice, apart from Naasn, his family has also faced accusations of sexual abuse against minors. Garcias lawyers didnt immediately return requests for comment; a church spokesman had no immediate comment. I said She was only 14 and you replied I should have brought her to you sooner., In pronouncing his sentence, the judge criticized those who had turned their backs on the victims, saying Shame, shame on you., But none of that seemed to deter his followers and church leaders who claimed the prosecutions evidence was doctored and altered, as they reiterated their support for the man they call their Apostle. A statement from church leaders following the sentencing stated our confidence in him remains intact, comparing his prosecution to a path that God has placed in front of him for a reason, as he did for Apostle Paul.. Read More: How Did Samuel Joaqun Flores Die? It is important to note that criminal charges are only allegations against a person. ode to the vampire mother results; national asset mortgage lawsuit; green tuna paper; mary davis sos band net worth Naason Joaqun Garcia was arrested at the airport in Los Angeles, California, in June 2019. They bless the bread, the wine, and do other things as if he were here, although physically he is not.". 0 . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "The Apostle of Jesus Christ has had no choice but to accept with much pain that the agreement presented is the best way forward to protect the church and his family," it continued, adding that he had wanted to spare the church and his family "weeks of unfounded public accusations" and threats. Yet for now, if you simply wish to learn more about those personally near the incumbent Apostle throughout these years his wife and his children weve got the necessary details for you. A trial date has been set for Naasn Joaqun Garca, the leader of the Mexico-based megachurch La Luz del Mundo who is facing a number of sex abuse charges. The investigation began in 2018, in part, because of information submitted to the California Department of Justice through the clergy abuse online complaint form. [1] Early life [ edit] Sara Pozos, 49, is among many in the neighborhood who believe their leader's imprisonment has strengthened the church. Theyre still using this power they have to manipulate, use and control these people, Martin told the Law&Crime Networks Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross. ", In a statement issued on Wednesday, Bonda said: "While it will never undo the harm and trauma he caused as the leader of La Luz del Mundo, this sentence makes it crystal clear that abusersno matter who they arewill be held accountable. Ocampo pleaded guilty to three felony counts of contact with a minor for the purposes of committing a sexual offense and one count of forcible sexual penetration two years ago. Garcia, charged with 23 counts of child sex abuse, is being held on $90 million bail; trial is scheduled for November. / KCAL News. However the Guadalajara-based megachurch, also known as the Light of the World, issued a statement on Wednesday afternoon reiterating its support for Garca and saying he had only pleaded guilty to the counts because he did not think he would receive a fair trial. Times staff writers Jany and Ormseth reported from Los Angeles, Miller from Mexico City. She pointed to how the church has consistently held that Garcia was innocent and has spent the last few years trying to build a positive image of the institution, claiming its membership has stayed strong. Jericho, Bethlehem and Nazareth are among the names of roads converging on the white temple that locals call "the cake," for its white tiers that diminish in size as they rise upward. Naasn Joaqun Garca leads a service at his church "La Luz del Mundo" in Guadalajara, Mexico on Aug. 9, 2018. People who molest children, this is the kind of mentality they have. "And for those family members that have abandoned you, shame! The RICO suit names him, the organization called Light of the World, his mother, his wife, his brother, and many of the leaders of the organization. "This is a path that God has placed in front of him for a reason, as he did for Apostle Paul.". His unexpected plea change came during an unannounced hearing Friday, which was only disclosed after the fact in a news release. For Raquel Haifa, 43, fulfilling the revivals was a traumatizing experience that she considers abusive, because minors are not able to decline to take part. ", Garca "will continue ministering to the church," the statement said. Garca, 53, received a sentence of 16 years and 8 months in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday. Before joining The Times in 2018, he covered city news and state politics at the Hartford Courant. HBOs Unveiled: Surviving La Luz Del Mundo peeks behind the closed doors of the Mexican Christian megachurch La Luz Del Mundo and sheds light on the rampant sexual abuse faced by several minors by the church leaders. 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