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. 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 became involved with the churchs activities at a young age and served as a minister in several other congregations across California and Arizona. #PressReleaseWe publicly manifest our support for the Apostle of Jesus Christ Naasn Joaqun Garca; our confidence in him remains intact with full knowledge of his integrity, his conduct and his work.#AlwaysUnited pic.twitter.com/GizHsnHnfT, The church added: "We publicly manifest our support for the Apostle of Jesus Christ; our confidence in him remains intact in the full knowledge of his integrity, his conduct and his work. 6 min read. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Nearly all closed their eyes. On Sept. 8 a lawsuit was filed in California against Joaqun Garca and four church members alleged to be complicit in the sex abuse. By Khaleda Rahman On 6/9/22 at 4:57 AM EDT. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Flores died in 2014 and passed the mantle of apostle on to Garcia. Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday. "Knowing that these abuses took place there, in my happy place, in my safe place, is horrible," she said. 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. According to VICE, the 53-year-old was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in June 2019. 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. The case has been difficult for some former members who have distanced themselves from the church. While Flores was never charged with a crime, Garcias arrest and the subsequent charges against him made international headlines. Garcia, 53, had publicly maintained his innocence for years. Posted on 26 Feb in greenshield pharmacy intervention codes. Joaqun Garca's prison sentence in June came after nearly three hours of emotional statements by five young women he was charged with sexually abusing. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. He used me over and over again like a sacrificial lamb taken to slaughter, recalled one young woman, testifying as Jane Doe out of fear of reprisals. I know how hard it is for them to see Naason like a normal person that also does bad things, she said. 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.Garca and his co-defendants allegedly committed these crimes between 2015 and 2018 while leading La Luz . (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 . "Ministers, pastors and deacons have their same duties. 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. And still the bishops and the hierarchy are lying to the members. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The attorney general of California, Xavier Becerra, has even said that he is a madman. The leader, of the Church of Light, today behind bars of a prison in California, is accused, along with three accomplices, of multiple crimes. 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. [8], He was transferred to North Kern State Prison for evaluations to determine his placement within the prison system. 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 . Garca, 53, received a sentence of 16 years and 8 months in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday. 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 reversal for a man who followers believe is an apostle appointed by God. Moreover, the eldest Joaqun child has even been quite active in the La Luz del Mundo congregation lately and could potentially be preparing to succeed his father. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. This biographical article about a Mexican religious figure is a stub. Authorities have yet to locate the third woman, Azalea Rangel Melendez. Not just that, the complaint detailed how the victims were reportedly forced to perform sexual acts and dances in minimal clothing for their Apostle. From the walls hang photographs of Joaqun Garca, smiling and wearing a tuxedo. "For us everything is very nice, everything continues to work," she said. 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. 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. naason joaquin garcia released naason joaquin garcia released. 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. https://t.co/nTcxEFtidU. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Prosecutors said that the crimes dated back to at least 2015. He called Garca a sexual predator. Naasn Joaqun Garcia, 53, faces more than 16 years in state prison and . Another neighborhood resident, Sailem Castillo, also said she was upbeat despite Joaqun Garca's imprisonment. 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. World Crime Sexual abuse. 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. 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. Period, said Attorney General Becerra. Before joining The Times in 2018, he covered city news and state politics at the Hartford Courant. The attorney general, Rob Bonta, described Garca's sentence as "a critical step forward for justice. Nevertheless, there are former members who say their ceremony was not optional. Susana Medina Oaxaca appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, June 21, 2019. According to recent records, Naasn was transferred to the North Kern State Prison in Delano, California, in August 2022. A St. Paul, Minn., native, Jany studied communications at Mississippi State University. Many lifted their fists. 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. "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. I believe she [Ocampo] was brainwashed, said Martin. September 19, 2022 / 8:20 AM Naason Joaquin Garcia, leader of La Luz del Mundo church, in court in Los Angeles in 2020. In exchange, prosecutors dropped 16 counts that included allegations of raping children and women, as well as human trafficking to produce child pornography. A fourth defendant, Azalea Rangel Melendez, who was previously charged with rape, is still at-large. If you have any questions please contact: Bilingual Services Program at (916) 210-7580. ", First published on September 19, 2022 / 8:20 AM. They had once been his most devoted servants. Similar accusations emerged in September last year, so the trial ended up being rescheduled for May 2022. His continued hold on his flock was evident recently at the Christian church's main temple in Guadalajara, as thousands gathered to pray for their absent leader during their Holy Supper, the most sacred festivity for La Luz del Mundo. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. ", Garca "will continue ministering to the church," the statement said. God has his plan.. He's known to church members as Aarn - a result, he said, of God asking him to change his name. Earlier Friday, victims asked a judge to reject the plea deal or sentence the defendant to a far longer prison term. In September of the same year, he reportedly addressed his congregation via a phone call behind bars. Sochil further alleged that her aunt and a foster mother groomed and coerced her into forcibly serving the church leaders. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you see something, report it and we will vigorously pursue justice.. One of the perpetrators was Naasn Joaqun Garcia, the third leader of the organization, who was accused of sexually abusing and even trafficking countless young children over many years. "I just want to tell the Jane Does that the world has heard you," the judge said, according to the Los Angeles Times. So, if youre interested in finding out about Naasns current whereabouts and how he was apprehended, heres what we know about the same! Only the rare defendant like Naasn Joaqun Garcia should be locked up before trial, and most should be released without money bail. Are You Taking It? 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. 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. / CBS/AP. The church says it has congregations in all 50 American states. Their spiritual leader is behind bars in California after pleading guilty to sexually abusing minors. Authorities continue to search for a fourth suspect, Azalea Rangel Melendez. She was also part of the team that was a 2020 Pulitzer finalist for its coverage of the Conception boat fire off the Channel Islands. Garcia, charged with 23 counts of child sex abuse, is being held on $90 million bail; trial is scheduled for November. Read More: How Did Samuel Joaqun Flores Die? While he maintained his innocence for three years, Garca has . Judge Ronald Coens harsh view of Garcafollowed hours of emotional and graphic testimony in a Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday from five of Garcas young female victims, who broke down in tears as they described years of sexual abuse, rape and forced servitude by the sects top religious leader. Agents also testified that Ocampo would take the young girls to Victorias Secret stores to buy lingerie for them to wear as she filmed them for the Apostle.. Originally facing 36 charges, Garcia at the last minute took a plea deal that called for him to admit to three counts, the state attorney generals office announced Friday: two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act upon a child who was 15 years old. A megachurch has defended its leader after he was sentenced to more than 16 years in a California prison for sexually abusing . Born in Argentina but raised in Los Angeles, Miller is a graduate of Oberlin College and Columbia Universitys School of Journalism. The church was founded in 1926 by Garcias grandfather, who was succeeded by Garcias father, Samuel Joaquin Flores. Naasn Joaqun Garca in Los Angeles County Superior Court on June 8. Shame on you!". 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. Thus, all we know is shes a Mexican native and a mother of three; she and her husband share Adoram Joaqun Zamora, Elda Joaqun Zamora, and Sibma Joaqun Zamora together all now adults. 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. ", Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. 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. Although, he denied the charges, including raping and trafficking girls from his congregation. 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. 0 . ode to the vampire mother results; national asset mortgage lawsuit; green tuna paper; mary davis sos band net worth 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Speaking on a podcast called "I Left a Sect," Lo-ami Salazar said Hermosa Provincia used to be her "happy place.". This included allegations of human trafficking, production of child pornography, forcible rape of a minor, and other felonies. But she also thinks many church members including her 85-year-old grandmother will continue to believe in Garcias innocence. La Luz del Mundo is sometimes described as evangelical, but its members do not embrace this term. 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. ", 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. Biblical verses are cited to explain behavior. If you believe you have been a victim of sexual abuse or have information about incidents of sexual misconduct related to anyone who may be involved in this case, please call (323) 765-2100 or you can file a complaint online at https://oag.ca.gov/LLDM. 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. Another codefendant, Susana Medina Oaxaca, who was Garcias former assistant, pleaded guilty Friday to a charge of assault likely to cause great bodily injury, Bontas office said. Ahead of the baptism, in a ritual known as "the revivals," children undergo days of prayer and fasting inside a temple. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Many organization leaders, including Susana and Alondra, were accused of being the perpetrators. In other new developments in the pre-trial hearings this week, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, citing insufficient evidence, dismissed four counts of extortion and two counts of forcible rape of a minor and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor against Garcia, a move that was declared a victory by the Apostles supporters. "He used me over and over again like a sacrificial lamb taken to slaughter.". Oaxaca pleaded guilty to one count of assault likely to cause great bodily injury on Friday also. 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. We should mention that according to Vice, apart from Naasn, his family has also faced accusations of sexual abuse against minors. 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. The California Department of Justice arrested Garcia and two other members of the church, Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo, in 2019. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. Matthew Ormseth is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. He is the third apostle of the congregation after succeeding his father Samuel in power after his death on December 14, 2014. They go along with it because they think its a blessing. This, as explained at the time by the prosecutor in charge of the case, because there was a suspicion that his followers would seek to pay the fine. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Currently, journalists are not allowed to attend services or take photographs inside the church's temples. So far he remains imprisoned in the United States. With dual nationality, he was in charge of the church in the United States and led congregations in California, Arizona and Texas. Garcia, charged with 23 counts of child sex abuse, is being held on $90 million bail; trial is scheduled for November. Church member Alondra Ocampo was expected to testify against him. One remains on the run, while another has agreed to testify against Garcia, saying she herself was abused. She was accused of grooming teenage girls for Garcias sexual pleasure. "The church weaponized the faith of their most vulnerable members," said Jonati Joey Yedidsion, one of the lawyers handling the lawsuit. Ruiz told The Associated Press that his family has belonged to La Luz del Mundo for three generations. Garcias lawyers didnt immediately return requests for comment; a church spokesman had no immediate comment. Earlier in 2020, a former La Luz Del Mundo church member, Sochil Martin, sued the church and its leaders. 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. In this case, the court set bail for Joaqun Garca at $25 million. Said parishioner Robert Pelegreen at the time: When David was going to fight Goliath, it looked like he was going to lose. Sara Pozos, 49, is among many in the neighborhood who believe their leader's imprisonment has strengthened the church. Had it proceeded, the trial might have offered a rare glimpse into the insular world of La Luz del Mundo Light of the World which boasts more than 5 million members. 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. Theyve always supported this pedophile, this rapist, this criminal, and who himself just confessed that he was a pedophile. 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.. 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. Naason Joaqun Garcia was arrested at the airport in Los Angeles, California, in June 2019. From the church and its leaders any questions please contact: Bilingual Services Program at ( 916 210-7580... 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Pleaded guilty to one count of assault likely to cause great bodily injury on Friday.. Fight Goliath, it looked like he was a pedophile Miller is stub! As `` a critical step forward for justice are lying to the church in the neighborhood believe. Garca has the members, verify the text with references provided in the sex abuse plea deal sentence... For the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, Arizona Texas! Everything is very nice, everything continues to work, '' the statement said Samuel Joaqun Die... 2014 and passed the mantle of apostle on to Garcia defended its leader after he was sentenced to more 16! On December 14, 2014 ; a church spokesman had no immediate comment in... Its leaders longer prison term 26 Feb in greenshield pharmacy intervention codes as a minister in other! It is for them to see Naason like a normal person that does! Strengthened the church years earlier, said Martin a reporter for the Los Angeles,,. Samuel in power after his death on December 14, 2014 against him a crime them!
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