The grandson of the church's founder, Garca maintained his innocence following his arrest but eventually pleaded guilty in June 2022 to two counts of forcible oral copulation on a minor and one. He was sentenced to more than 16 years after making a plea deal. 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. On June 3, 2019, Naasn, Susana, and Alondra landed in a private jet at the Los Angeles International Airport, where they were arrested. Aarn's wife was the church's first member. La Luz del Mundo is sometimes described as evangelical, but its members do not embrace this term. Near the end of the call, Joaqun Garca asked his followers to raise their hands and their voices to God and repeat after him: "I promise you, Lord, that whatever the suffering, I will never abandon you.". Powered by WordPress.com VIP. [12]. 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. Libor Jany covers the Los Angeles Police Department. The Office of the Attorney General is unable to guarantee the accuracy of this translation and is therefore not liable for any inaccurate information resulting from the translation application tool. Additionally, Attorney General Becerra testified before the U.S. Senate to push for the passage of the federal Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, which became law in 2018. [10] Federal criminal investigations are pending in both the United States and Mexico. 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. He is the fifth of eight children and during much . Naasn Joaqun Garcia, 53, faces more than 16 years in state prison and . Even as a California judge declared their leader a sexual predator, sentencing him to 16 years and eight months for sexual abuse of minors in his congregation, leaders of the Light of the World Church declared their faith in Naasn Joaqun Garca, known as The Apostle of Jesus Christ, to his five million followers. Flores died in 2014 and passed the mantle of apostle on to Garcia. Garcia, he said, abused his authority to take advantage of children, while relying on his underlings to groom congregants for the purposes of sexual assault., Todays conviction can never undo the harm, Bonta declared, but it will help protect future generations.. 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. Offenders and people accused of molesting children always have a difficult time in prison. 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. As of writing, the case is still being deliberated in a court of law. 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. Naasn became involved with the churchs activities at a young age and served as a minister in several other congregations across California and Arizona. This is a man who has committed atrocities in the name of God, in the name of this church and everything is an excuse. In exchange, prosecutors dropped 16 counts that included allegations of raping children and women, as well as human trafficking to produce child pornography. Only the rare defendant like Naasn Joaqun Garcia should be locked up before trial, and most should be released without money bail. Emailus. 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. Garcia leads the Light of the World Church, an evangelical-based faith which claims to have five million members in dozens of countries around the world. Sochil further alleged that her aunt and a foster mother groomed and coerced her into forcibly serving the church leaders. In some cities, people tithe more than 10% of their monthly income to the church. [1] Early life [ edit] Another neighborhood resident, Sailem Castillo, also said she was upbeat despite Joaqun Garca's imprisonment. Meanwhile the California State Attorney General continues its investigation and has created a dedicated hotline for tips:(323) 765-2100 orhttps://oag.ca.gov/LLDM, Have a tip we should know? Martin, a former church member, told the Law&Crime Network how she was then coerced into helping to recruit other young women and participated in the taping of lurid sex scenes involving the teens and Garcia. While he maintained his innocence for three years, Garca has . The church's media relations office claims there is no crime in the area. / KCAL News. Naason Joaquin Garcia, the leader of the La Luz del Mundo, Spanish for The Light of the World, appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court, on June 5, 2019. A St. Paul, Minn., native, Jany studied communications at Mississippi State University. We must not turn a blind eye to sexual violence and trafficking in our state. Theyve always supported this pedophile, this rapist, this criminal, and who himself just confessed that he was a pedophile. 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. Said parishioner Robert Pelegreen at the time: When David was going to fight Goliath, it looked like he was going to lose. At the California Department of Justice, we will do everything we can to prevent and combat these heinous crimes so that our communities are safe. For them, hes a saint that does everything well., Renee de la Torre is a researcher in Guadalajara for the Center of Research and Graduate Studies in Social Anthropology and has studied La Luz del Mundo. Earlier Friday, victims asked a judge to reject the plea deal or sentence the defendant to a far longer prison term. 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. But still just purely drinking from that information trough only from the Church. Just on March 21, the Church of the Light of the World demanded Nahson's immediate release, after his defense filed a motion claiming that the California Prosecutor's Office conducted incriminating evidence against him. [7], Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo were also charged. Garcia, charged with 23 counts of child sex abuse, is being held on $90 million bail; trial is scheduled for November. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 6 min read. Kellermeyer said his wife who earlier pled guilty was preparing to be the star witness at Garcas trial and was disappointed not to have the opportunity to testifyhaving hoped to reach dedicated church members, like her own parents, still in the church who refuse to believe that Garca is guilty. 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. The suit was filed by five women who - under the pseudonym Jane Doe - were identified as victims in the original criminal charges against him. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. September 19, 2022 / 8:20 AM She has pleaded guilty to four counts as part of a deal in 2020. 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. Naason Joaquin Garcia, the church's leader, a man considered by congregants an apostle of Jesus Christ, had just been sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison for committing acts of sexual abuse . And unfortunately, I see a lot of lamentations of family and family members that are out online saying that they feel very sad, he said. Its not me thats doing this, this is what God wants you to do, Thiagarajah told Brian Ross. [2], He continues to be named as Legal Representative of the church in Mexico in spite of having been convicted of child sex crimes. "I worshipped my abuser," said a woman who described herself as his niece. Its always somebody elses fault.. She said she does not think the plea deal will result in a total crisis for the institution.. Currently, journalists are not allowed to attend services or take photographs inside the church's temples. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ocampo has been held in custody for more than a year since her arrest with Garcia on his private jet at the Los Angeles airport by California law enforcement. Many news outlets in Mexico featured Garcias guilty plea on their homepages Friday evening, including the online website Animal Politico and newspaper El Universal. [2], Before becoming the head of La Luz del Mundo at 45, he was (most recently) a minister for the group in Santa Ana, California, and previously served as minister for other congregations in cities throughout California (Huntington Park, San Diego, East Los Angeles, Santa Maria) and Arizona. So, if youre interested in finding out about Naasns current whereabouts and how he was apprehended, heres what we know about the same! They prayed, they talked to journalists, they protested their leaders innocence. OAKLAND - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced securing a guilty plea and conviction against Naasn Joaqun Garca, the leader of La Luz del Mundo, for multiple felony counts of sexual assault involving three separate minors. Naason Joaqun Garcia was arrested at the airport in Los Angeles, California, in June 2019. We should mention that according to Vice, apart from Naasn, his family has also faced accusations of sexual abuse against minors. Shame on you!". A megachurch has defended its leader after he was sentenced to more than 16 years in a California prison for sexually abusing . "You have to follow certain steps to prove your loyalty.". Before joining the Los Angeles Times in 2022, he covered public safety for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. Fugitive in $18 million COVID fraud scheme extradited to U.S. RFK killer Sirhan Sirhan denied parole by California board, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Where things stand in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial. Naasn Joaqun Garca may be released in December 2032 Dementia And Memory Loss Has Been Linked To This Common Pill. Naason Joaquin Garcia, the leader of the La Luz del Mundo, Spanish for The Light of the World, appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court, on June 5, 2019. "I did cry, because I was saying, 'God, deliver me from this, make this time pass quickly,'" Haifa said from Texas. "It is not sufficient to say 'I have converted' or "I have baptized'" she said. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. But in court they called him "evil" and a "monster," "disgusting human waste" and the "antichrist. The bail to be able to leave is 50 million dollars, one of the highest in history. Moreover, if they denied or hesitated, they were blackmailed by being told how they were defying Gods will. Yet, despite the charges against Naasn, his followers and the La Luz del Mundo continued supporting him and believing his claims of innocence. Furthermore, Susana and Alondra pled guilty to the charges against them. His plea deal came after five young womenonce devoted followers of the church founded by Garca's grandfather in Mexico nearly a century agotestified that he had made them his sex slaves. 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. The attorney general, Rob Bonta, described Garca's sentence as "a critical step forward for justice. Outraged by what they saw as a lenient sentence for La Luz del Mundo leader Naason Joaquin Garcia, a group is urging other victims to speak out. The state of California refiled charges against Megachurch leader Naasn Joaqun Garca last week for child rape and human trafficking. Naasn Joaqun Garcia -- the leader of La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World) -- was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison after pleading guilty Friday to two counts of forcible oral. / CBS/AP. [emailprotected]. 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. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Oaxaca pleaded guilty to one count of assault likely to cause great bodily injury in June. 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. Since having carried out harassment of minors, touching and rape. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges. by CNS June 8, 2022. 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 them and used the religion as ammunition against them. Garcias lawyers didnt immediately return requests for comment; a church spokesman had no immediate comment. He is currently charged on more than 30 counts, including possession of child pornography, human. They go along with it because they think its a blessing. De la Torre said she believes the church will continue to present Garcia as a victim of a conspiracy and that many of its members will keep backing him. She joined the newsroom in 2018 and spent several years working on the criminal justice team. Naasn Joaqun Garca leads a service at his church "La Luz del Mundo" in Guadalajara, Mexico on Aug. 9, 2018. Garca, 53, received a sentence of 16 years and 8 months in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday. When he was arrested, many of the faithful flocked to churches in the denominations hometown of Guadalajara, but also in Los Angeles and other cities. The church says it has congregations in all 50 American states. A lot of people have the expectation that once there was a guilty verdict, whether it be through trial, whether it be through pleading guilty, that loved ones and family members would wake up to the truth. After several delays, Garcias trial was supposed to start with jury selection Monday before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen. Authorities have yet to locate the third woman, Azalea Rangel Melendez. Some knelt and wept. Many believe he was sent by God to preach to them and are convinced he is innocent, despite his guilty plea. LOS ANGELES, March 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- We are shocked by the facts in the recent motion filed by defense attorney Alan Jackson on March 15 in the case regarding the Apostle of Jesus . In addition to Joaqun Garca, Alondra Ocampo and Susana Medina Oaxaca were also arrested. Church member Alondra Ocampo was expected to testify against him. "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. Todays conviction sends a clear message that sexual exploitation is never acceptable in California. 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. Spanning the main street is a sculpture spelling "innocent" in Spanish. Earlier this year, Sochil Martin, who grew up in the Church in southern California, filed a civil lawsuit against Garcia and the church, describing how she had been recruited at the age of nine and became a sex slave for both Garcias fatherthe previous Apostleand then Garcia. In 2018, Attorney General Becerracharged the operators of Rainbow Bright, a California adult residential and childcare company, with 59 criminal counts for alleged human trafficking and other alleged labor-related violations. Last year, Attorney General Becerrahelped bring downthe worlds largest online brothel, Backpage.com, and convicted its CEO. And still the bishops and the hierarchy are lying to the members. However, this might merely pertain to his father rather than his wife or kids since neither of them has ever been indicted on such offenses. Oaxaca pleaded guilty to one count of assault likely to cause great bodily injury on Friday also. However, the five complainants, addressed as Jane Does in the court, were unhappy with the minimal sentences their aggressors received. It seems clear that many members of the church, founded in Mexico in 1926 and now active in many countries, aren't ready to abandon Joaqun Garca as their "apostle" - the term used for the church's leader. 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. Her attorney previously told The Times that Ocampo herself suffered years of sexual abuse in the church when she was a minor. He is the third apostle of the congregation after succeeding his father Samuel in power after his death on December 14, 2014. Naason Joaquin Garcia, leader of La Luz del Mundo church, in court in Los Angeles in 2020. [3][4][5] Two days before his trial, Naasn Joaqun Garcia pleaded guilty to three charges related to sexually abusing children. Three female church members also have been charged with various offenses. [1], Joaqun Garca was born on May 7, 1969 in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, the fifth of seven children to Samuel Joaqun Flores and Eva Garca. In this case, the court set bail for Joaqun Garca at $25 million. 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. "Instead of protecting those innocent women, Naasn and the church fostered and then brutally preyed on their blind trust and allegiance in the 'Apostle'". The news of the impending plea deal garnered a mixed reaction from a Reddit group that has become a refuge for former church members, some of whom have said they were abused. Joaqun Garca was held on $50 million bail, Ocampo on $25 million, and Oaxaca remained free on bail. Newsweek has asked the office of California's attorney general for comment on the church's claims. CBS News Los Angeles: The Rundown (June 8 AM Edition). Ahead of the baptism, in a ritual known as "the revivals," children undergo days of prayer and fasting inside a temple. First published on June 8, 2022 / 3:01 PM. And it shouldnt be, the lawyer continued. Sexual assault is never acceptable. 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. (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 . 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. Born on May 7, 1969, in Guadalajara, Mexico, Naasn Joaqun Garcia was the fifth of Mexican church leader Samuel Joaqun Flores eight children. 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. Many lifted their fists. God has his plan.. list of benue state deputy governors list of benue state deputy governors Garcia, charged with 23 counts of child sex abuse, is being held on $90 million bail; trial is scheduled for November. Naasn was revered among his church community, but things came crashing down around 2019 when he and two of his associates, Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo, came under the polices radar. Los Angeles, A $150,000 executive protection dog? In 2014, he succeeded his father as the new leader AKA the Apostle of the La Luz del Mundo. 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 . She said she expects more will decide to leave because of the guilty plea. Do you remember the night you finally stole my virginityand you smiled and told me it was a blessing from God? said another, who added: Do you remember when you wanted me to bring my little sister to you? It should be recalled that just on March 15, a 211-page motion was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court by defense attorney Alan Jackson, claiming that the California Prosecutor's Office fabricated incriminating evidence, created reports based on false evidence, erased and concealed exculpatory evidence.. The revival consists of repeating "Glory to Christ" nonstop until the youths are heard speaking in tongues to testify that the Holy Spirit has entered them. Over several hours, the victims detailed horrific abuse by Garca. Please consult with a translator for accuracy if you are relying on the translation or are using this site for official business. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 01:49. It accuses Joaqun Garca of conditioning victims, under the guise of religion, to serve him above all else, ultimately resulting in the sexual abuse over the course of several years. This is not an organized religion, this is an organized institution of criminal activities thats been running for 96 years. Susana Medina Oaxaca appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, June 21, 2019. They can never accept responsibility for themselves and for their actions. A fourth defendant, Azalea Rangel Melendez, who was previously charged with rape, is still at-large. As a result, he pled guilty to two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act upon a child who was 15 years old. Naason Joaquin Garcia, leader of La Luz del Mundo church, in court in Los Angeles in 2020. Efforts to fight human trafficking have also included taking on labor exploitation. "We all suffer something in life, but one learns to know those moments where you see that God is doing something to help you, to get ahead, not to let you fall.". Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Thus, the Church of Light assured that based on the motion submitted it is clear that his constitutional rights have been unjustly violated, putting this as the main reason why he should be released. Nassn Joaqun continues to be the leader of La Luz del Mundo church and one of the most powerful ministers of worship in Mexico. They also alleged the church was involved in a lengthy cover-up of the sexual misconduct. Read More: How Did Samuel Joaqun Flores Die? 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. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Congregation members in the neighborhood call each other "brother" and "sister" and take pride in helping one another. The California Department of Justice arrested Garcia and two other members of the church, Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo, in 2019. ", Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. 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. , garcias trial was supposed to start with jury selection Monday before Los Angeles Superior court on.... With rape, is still being deliberated in a court of law Loss. They were defying Gods will downthe worlds largest online brothel, Backpage.com and... To Joaqun Garca at $ 25 million she joined the newsroom in 2018 and several! Talked to journalists, they were blackmailed by being told how they were defying Gods will our disclaimer.. And during much left the church says it has congregations in all American... Rapist, this rapist, this is an organized institution of criminal activities thats been running for 96 years native... To more naason joaquin garcia released 10 % of their monthly income to the church says it congregations. California, in 2019 a blind eye to sexual violence and trafficking in our state was at. 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