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. They described him as "evil," a "monster," "disgusting human waste" and the "Antichrist. Said parishioner Robert Pelegreen at the time: When David was going to fight Goliath, it looked like he was going to lose. Earlier Friday, victims asked a judge to reject the plea deal or sentence the defendant to a far longer prison term. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. "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. Naasn Joaqun Garca in Los Angeles County Superior Court on June 8. Garca, 53, received a sentence of 16 years and 8 months in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday. On Sept. 8 a lawsuit was filed in California against Joaqun Garca and four church members alleged to be complicit in the sex abuse. 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. [1] Early life [ edit] Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Only in September 2020 did the man plead not guilty to the crimes charged against him. Have a tip or story idea? Nassn Joaqun continues to be the leader of La Luz del Mundo church and one of the most powerful ministers of worship in Mexico. Congregation members in the neighborhood call each other "brother" and "sister" and take pride in helping one another. Leila Miller is a foreign correspondent for the Los Angeles Times based in Mexico City. 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. 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 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. "Ministers, pastors and deacons have their same duties. "He's firm in his convictions, and the church is firm as well in its purpose of moving forward.". So far he remains imprisoned in the United States. ode to the vampire mother results; national asset mortgage lawsuit; green tuna paper; mary davis sos band net worth 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. 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. 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. We will hold you accountable if you break the law, Atty. 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. [10] Federal criminal investigations are pending in both the United States and Mexico. "He used me over and over again like a sacrificial lamb taken to slaughter. "And for those family members that have abandoned you, shame! The man who leads a huge international church and calls himself the Apostle has now been abandoned for a second time by one of the women who allegedly groomed and recruited teenage girls from the church for him to sexually abuse. It is important to note that criminal charges are only allegations against a person. 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. Furthermore, Susana and Alondra pled guilty to the charges against them. When the women tried to expose Garca, they found themselves isolated and shunned by the church community, including members of their own families. https://t.co/nTcxEFtidU. Naasn became involved with the churchs activities at a young age and served as a minister in several other congregations across California and Arizona. The latter was the leader of the La Luz del Mundo church (translated to Church of the Living God), a non-trinitarian Christian organization founded in 1926. Sept. 19, 2022 11:27 AM PT Naasn Joaqun Garca, head of the Mexico-based La Luz del Mundo megachurch, pleaded guilty in June to sexually abusing girls from his congregation and was sentenced to. 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. "I did cry, because I was saying, 'God, deliver me from this, make this time pass quickly,'" Haifa said from Texas. Yet legions of followers ofNaasn Joaqun Garcain his home base in Mexico remain fervently loyal to him, viewing his imprisonment as a challenge that will strengthen their church, La Luz del Mundo (The Light of the World), rather than weaken it. They urged Judge Ronald Coen to impose a longer sentence, but he responded that his "hands are tied" by the agreement. The bail to be able to leave is 50 million dollars, one of the highest in history. Although, he denied the charges, including raping and trafficking girls from his congregation. Have a tip we should know? The neighborhood has cafeterias, clinics, a recreation center and a store that sells Bibles and religious-themed games for children. Naason Joaquin Garcia, leader of La Luz del Mundo church, in court in Los Angeles in 2020. She claimed facing decades of abuse at the hands of the leaders, including Naasn and his late father, Samuel Joaqun Flores. 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. Many news outlets in Mexico featured Garcias guilty plea on their homepages Friday evening, including the online website Animal Politico and newspaper El Universal. 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. Even outside the temple, the sound of his voice stirred emotions among dozens of devotees guarding entries to the sanctuary. ", 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. 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. 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. So, if youre interested in finding out about Naasns current whereabouts and how he was apprehended, heres what we know about the same! ", First published on September 19, 2022 / 8:20 AM. 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. He is currently charged on more than 30 counts, including possession of child pornography, human trafficking, sexual abuse of minors and extortion. June 8, 2022 / 3:01 PM Currently, journalists are not allowed to attend services or take photographs inside the church's temples. 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. She was accused of grooming teenage girls for Garcias sexual pleasure. 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. 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. The home base of the church is the Guadalajara neighborhood of Hermosa Provincia, Spanish for "beautiful province." "I worshipped my abuser," said a woman who described herself as his niece. [6] On June 8, 2022, he was convicted and sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison. After the court determined he was a flight risk, Garcia's been held without . "For us everything is very nice, everything continues to work," she said. Bail was set at a stunning $25 million for Naason Joaquin . The conviction comes just days ahead of trial, which was set to begin on Monday. He called Garca a sexual predator. The church contended that prosecutors withheld or doctored evidence, and said Joaqun Garca pleaded guilty because he didn't think he could get a fair trial. 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. 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. 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. On the other hand, a 19-page complaint was filed in court against Naasn by five unnamed victims. The investigation began in 2018, in part, because of information submitted to the California Department of Justice through the clergy abuse online complaint form. But in court they called him "evil" and a "monster," "disgusting human waste" and the "antichrist. 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. 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. "Knowing that these abuses took place there, in my happy place, in my safe place, is horrible," she said. "Instead of protecting those innocent women, Naasn and the church fostered and then brutally preyed on their blind trust and allegiance in the 'Apostle'". "This is a path that God has placed in front of him for a reason, as he did for Apostle Paul.". March 21, 2022 17:02 ET | Source: The Light of the World. The attorney general, Rob Bonta, described Garca's sentence as "a critical step forward for justice. / KCAL News. 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. 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. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. She joined the newsroom in 2018 and spent several years working on the criminal justice team. Joaqun Garca, 53, was arrested in 2019 in California. 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. 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. #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. And it shouldnt be, the lawyer continued. He initially faced more than 20 charges, but most were dismissed after a plea deal with prosecutors. They can never accept responsibility for themselves and for their actions. 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. Garcia, charged with 23 counts of child sex abuse, is being held on $90 million bail; trial is scheduled for November. 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. According to recent records, Naasn was transferred to the North Kern State Prison in Delano, California, in August 2022. A megachurch has defended its leader after he was sentenced to more than 16 years in a California prison for sexually abusing . "It has been a very difficult issue, of course, for him and for us," she added. People who molest children, this is the kind of mentality they have. 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. 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. Times staff writers Jany and Ormseth reported from Los Angeles, Miller from Mexico City. 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. 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. But criminal attorney Fred Thiagarajah,who at various points was involved on both sides of the case, noted the reality waiting for Garcain prison will likely be a stark awakening for the self-described Apostle, if not his followers. [emailprotected]. We reiterate that his procedural and constitutional rights must remain in force, such as the presumption of innocence and the right to due process, as well as the right to be judged impartially and without bias. the spokesman said. Ahead of the baptism, in a ritual known as "the revivals," children undergo days of prayer and fasting inside a temple. One commenter speculated about whether the terms of the plea deal might call for Garcia to out other alleged abusers in the church. He is the third apostle of the congregation after succeeding his father Samuel in power after his death on December 14, 2014. 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. "It is not sufficient to say 'I have converted' or "I have baptized'" she said. 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.. 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. As the states chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Becerra is committed to combatting human trafficking and safeguarding the rights of trafficking survivors. The arrests and charges announced today were the result of an investigation initiated by the California Department of Justice. Earlier in 2020, a former La Luz Del Mundo church member, Sochil Martin, sued the church and its leaders. 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