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. And NOW is the time to stand up and fight.. Authorities have yet to locate the third woman, Azalea Rangel Melendez. Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. 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. 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. 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. 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 attorney general, Rob Bonta, described Garca's sentence as "a critical step forward for justice. 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. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Sochil further alleged that her aunt and a foster mother groomed and coerced her into forcibly serving the church leaders. "All this goes to show that although you are part of this world, you have accepted a very particular way of life because you are Christian," Snchez-Walsh 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. Joaqun Garca, 53, was arrested in 2019 in California. My heart goes out to all those affected by the horrific actions brought to light during this case. They go along with it because they think its a blessing. Please consult with a translator for accuracy if you are relying on the translation or are using this site for official business. 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. 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. "Ministers, pastors and deacons have their same duties. [2], He continues to be named as Legal Representative of the church in Mexico in spite of having been convicted of child sex crimes. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, SpaceX launches new crew to space station, Prosecution wraps case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, White House cybersecurity strategy pivots to regulation, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, Rape kits from two women lead to arrest in 1979 murder of one of them, FDA authorizes first at-home test for both COVID and flu, Couple accuses fertility clinic of implanting embryo with cancer genes, Several hospitalized after Lufthansa flight diverted to Dulles due to turbulence, Mexican megachurch leader gets over 16 years in prison for sexual abuse. #BREAKING: As the result of a multiyear investigation and prosecution led by CalDOJ, megachurch leader Naasn Joaqun Garca has pled guilty to multiple felony counts of sexual assault involving minors. Period, said Attorney General Becerra. 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 bail to be able to leave is 50 million dollars, one of the highest in history. 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. 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. 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. "I just want to tell the Jane Does that the world has heard you," the judge said, according to the Los Angeles Times. In some cities, people tithe more than 10% of their monthly income to the church. According to VICE, the 53-year-old was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in June 2019. 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. In total, there are more than 30 crimes in total, including child pornography and trafficking in persons, committed between 2015 and 2018. Naasn Joaqun Garca, the leader of La Luz del Mundo, pleaded guilty to two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act on a child who was 15. She has pleaded guilty to four counts as part of a deal in 2020. After the court determined he was a flight risk, Garcia's been held without . 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. They can never accept responsibility for themselves and for their actions. 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. Times staff writers Jany and Ormseth reported from Los Angeles, Miller from Mexico City. Rich L.A. homeowners are snapping them up, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, Column: Supreme Court conservatives may want to block student loan forgiveness. by CNS June 8, 2022. 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. 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. September 19, 2022 / 8:20 AM On June 3, 2019, Naasn, Susana, and Alondra landed in a private jet at the Los Angeles International Airport, where they were arrested. Are You Taking It? Nassn Joaqun continues to be the leader of La Luz del Mundo church and one of the most powerful ministers of worship in Mexico. One remains on the run, while another has agreed to testify against Garcia, saying she herself was abused. Over several hours, the victims detailed horrific abuse by Garca. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Authorities continue to search for a fourth suspect, Azalea Rangel Melendez. 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. 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. / KCAL News. He is currently charged on more than 30 counts, including possession of child pornography, human. Naasn Joaqun Garca in Los Angeles County Superior Court on June 8. "Knowing that these abuses took place there, in my happy place, in my safe place, is horrible," she said. list of benue state deputy governors list of benue state deputy governors 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. On June 8, 2022, Naasn was convicted for the three charges and sentenced to 16 years and 8 months behind bars. Its always somebody elses fault.. 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 [emailprotected]. 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. Offenders and people accused of molesting children always have a difficult time in prison. She said she expects more will decide to leave because of the guilty plea. Emailus. Earlier Friday, victims asked a judge to reject the plea deal or sentence the defendant to a far longer prison term. / CBS/AP. Garcia, charged with 23 counts of child sex abuse, is being held on $90 million bail; trial is scheduled for November. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The case has been difficult for some former members who have distanced themselves from the church. The investigation began in 2018, in part, because of information submitted to the California Department of Justice through the clergy abuse online complaint form. 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. With Naasns grandfather Aaron Joaquin Gonzalez having established La Luz Del Mundo in 1926 and him being a third-generation heir, its honestly no surprise hed gained worldwide notoriety. 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. Garcia, 53, had publicly maintained his innocence for years. He is the third apostle of the congregation after succeeding his father Samuel in power after his death on December 14, 2014. In exchange, prosecutors dropped 16 counts that included allegations of raping children and women, as well as human trafficking to produce child pornography. Shame on you!". Also, a February federal lawsuit against the church and Joaqun Garca alleging that he and his father sexually abused a Southern California girl regularly from the time she was twelve until she was eighteen is still pending. (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 . 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. 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? After several delays, Garcias trial was supposed to start with jury selection Monday before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen. 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. A megachurch has defended its leader after he was sentenced to more than 16 years in a California prison for sexually abusing . Nevertheless, there are former members who say their ceremony was not optional. 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. Today it claims a membership of more than 5 million in some 50 nations. 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. "I worshipped my abuser," said a woman who described herself as his niece. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Not just that, the complaint detailed how the victims were reportedly forced to perform sexual acts and dances in minimal clothing for their Apostle. [6] On June 8, 2022, he was convicted and sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison. 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. 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. 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