As per court documents, the complainants alleged he sexually abused one woman and three minors, also raping the woman and another child. 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. They go along with it because they think its a blessing. 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. Ruiz told The Associated Press that his family has belonged to La Luz del Mundo for three generations. Garcia, charged with 23 counts of child sex abuse, is being held on $90 million bail; trial is scheduled for November. Both father and son have been accused of using the churchs young members as sexual servants, of leading lavish lifestyles on the backs of their followers and of intimidating church members into silence and submission. Gen. She will be sentenced at a later date. Naason Joaquin Garcia was arrested in L.A. this past summer and charged with child sexual abuse and human trafficking. It is unclear what his guilty admission will mean for the megachurch with international reach, and whether it will force the kind of larger reckoning over abuse and decades-long cover-ups that has swept the Catholic Church. Matthew Ormseth is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. The lawsuit includes detailed accounts from the five plaintiffs alleging that they were pressured by Joaqun Garca and his associates into performing for pornographic photo shoots, and were forced to engage in sex acts with him. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Thats because it charts not just the way the titular Mexican non-traditional Christian Church took advantage of minors for years but also the 2019 apprehension of leader Naasn Joaqun Garcia. The home base of the church is the Guadalajara neighborhood of Hermosa Provincia, Spanish for "beautiful province." 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. We will hold you accountable if you break the law, Atty. Many lifted their fists. "The apostle always shows determination to move forward," said Phares Ruiz, who traveled from El Salvador to attend the Holy Supper. They can never accept responsibility for themselves and for their actions. On June 3, 2019, Naasn, Susana, and Alondra landed in a private jet at the Los Angeles International Airport, where they were arrested. 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. 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 . Garcias lawyers didnt immediately return requests for comment; a church spokesman had no immediate comment. Crimes like those alleged in this complaint have no place in our society. Todays conviction sends a clear message that sexual exploitation is never acceptable in California. [7], Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo were also charged. (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 . 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. This was all Naasons doing.. 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. In September of the same year, he reportedly addressed his congregation via a phone call behind bars. 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. In a major set back for the defense of Nasson Joaquin Garcia, his co-defendant, Alondra Ocampo, has pleaded guilty to four felony counts involving the sexual abuse of minors and is now prepared to testify against him at trial in California. According to VICE, the 53-year-old was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in June 2019. My heart goes out to all those affected by the horrific actions brought to light during this case. Their spiritual leader is behind bars in California after pleading guilty to sexually abusing minors. The case against him came as a result of a tip in 2018 to a U.S. Justice Department website that was created to help people report abuse by clergy. But in court they called him "evil" and a "monster," "disgusting human waste" and the "antichrist. 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. 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. 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. by CNS June 8, 2022. Joaqun Garca and his co-defendants allegedly committed these crimes between 2015 and 2018 while leading La Luz Del Mundo, an international religious organization headquartered in Mexico with reportedly over one million followers worldwide. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. With dual nationality, he was in charge of the church in the United States and led congregations in California, Arizona and Texas. 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. Joaqun Garca, 53, was arrested in 2019 in California. 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.. 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 copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act upon a child who was 15 years old. 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. ", "I worshipped my abuser," said a woman identified as Jane Doe 4 and said she was his niece. Naasn Joaqun Garca may be released in December 2032 Dementia And Memory Loss Has Been Linked To This Common Pill. Garca, 53, received a sentence of 16 years and 8 months in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday. In California alone it has about 50 locations. The church was founded in 1926 by Garcias grandfather, who was succeeded by Garcias father, Samuel Joaquin Flores. / KCAL News. Naasn became involved with the churchs activities at a young age and served as a minister in several other congregations across California and Arizona. naason joaquin garcia released naason joaquin garcia released. Sara Pozos, 49, is among many in the neighborhood who believe their leader's imprisonment has strengthened the church. "I see your beautiful faces because you are the children of God.". 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. 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. Ocampo is the second woman from Garcias inner circle to turn against him. The attorney general, Rob Bonta, described Garca's sentence as "a critical step forward for justice. Have a tip or story idea? 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. [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. While he maintained his innocence for three years, Garca has . 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. It should be reiterated that this religious entity, like its leader, has been surrounded by controversies, investigations and allegations: in December 2020, the Financial Intelligence Unit filed five complaints against it. Only in September 2020 did the man plead not guilty to the crimes charged against him. We should mention that according to Vice, apart from Naasn, his family has also faced accusations of sexual abuse against minors. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to stand up for survivors and fight back against abuse. 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. Garcias father, Samuel Joaquin Flores neighborhood who believe their leader 's imprisonment has strengthened the church accountable you... 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