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. He is the fifth of eight children and during much . Powered by WordPress.com VIP. I believe she [Ocampo] was brainwashed, said Martin. The neighborhood has cafeterias, clinics, a recreation center and a store that sells Bibles and religious-themed games for children. And NOW is the time to stand up and fight.. "This is a path that God has placed in front of him for a reason, as he did for Apostle Paul.". "I worshipped my abuser," said a woman who described herself as his niece. Apart from Naasn, his mother, wife, brother, and children were named in the lawsuit for being aware of the abuse. March 21, 2022 17:02 ET | Source: The Light of the World. 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. Oaxaca pleaded guilty to one count of assault likely to cause great bodily injury in June. ode to the vampire mother results; national asset mortgage lawsuit; green tuna paper; mary davis sos band net worth Rob Bonta said in a news release issued late Friday afternoon. Garcia, 53, had publicly maintained his innocence for years. In some cities, people tithe more than 10% of their monthly income to the church. 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. 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. The California attorney generals office, which is handling the case, also had accused Garcia of coercing underlings to recruit young girls for him to sexually abuse. World Crime Sexual abuse. We will hold you accountable if you break the law, Atty. 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. 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. Those born in the community are baptized at 14 because, according to the church, that lets them decide whether to reaffirm or leave the faith. After the court determined he was a flight risk, Garcia's been held without . 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. Ocampo requested that Jane Doe number one send her nude photos of herself because the servant of god who is defendant Garcia, would be really happy, said special agent Thomas Donohue in court. Prosecutors said that the crimes dated back to at least 2015. Nevertheless, there are former members who say their ceremony was not optional. Naasn Joaqun Garcia, 53, faces more than 16 years in state prison and . 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. 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. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Most teachings translate into something quotidian. "The apostle always shows determination to move forward," said Phares Ruiz, who traveled from El Salvador to attend the Holy Supper. 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 go along with it because they think its a blessing. The case has been difficult for some former members who have distanced themselves from the church. 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. He was sentenced to more than 16 years after making a plea deal. "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. naason joaquin garcia released naason joaquin garcia released. He called Garca a sexual predator. 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. In addition to Joaqun Garca, Alondra Ocampo and Susana Medina Oaxaca were also arrested. 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. 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. From what we can tell, every member of the Joaqun family prefers to stay well away from the limelight these days, yet they do likely divide their time between their homeland of Guadalajara and their last known base of California. Garcia, charged with 23 counts of child sex abuse, is being held on $90 million bail; trial is scheduled for November. Sochil further alleged that her aunt and a foster mother groomed and coerced her into forcibly serving the church leaders. Her attorney previously told The Times that Ocampo herself suffered years of sexual abuse in the church when she was a minor. On June 3, 2019, Naasn, Susana, and Alondra landed in a private jet at the Los Angeles International Airport, where they were arrested. 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. Ruiz told The Associated Press that his family has belonged to La Luz del Mundo for three generations. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. Born in Argentina but raised in Los Angeles, Miller is a graduate of Oberlin College and Columbia Universitys School of Journalism. [2], He continues to be named as Legal Representative of the church in Mexico in spite of having been convicted of child sex crimes. This is not an organized religion, this is an organized institution of criminal activities thats been running for 96 years. People who molest children, this is the kind of mentality they have. 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. 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. 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. "I just want to tell the Jane Does that the world has heard you," the judge said, according to the Los Angeles Times. 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. A megachurch has defended its leader after he was sentenced to more than 16 years in a California prison for sexually abusing . Hence, in September 2022, they filed a detailed civil lawsuit against Naasn for sexually abusing them, alleging other church members groomed them and used the religion as ammunition to manipulate them. He initially faced more than 20 charges, but most were dismissed after a plea deal with prosecutors. 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. Read More: How Did Samuel Joaqun Flores Die? 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. "I think it changed for the better in the sense that now we feel more united, and we feel more empowered," she said. 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. Speaking on a podcast called "I Left a Sect," Lo-ami Salazar said Hermosa Provincia used to be her "happy place.". 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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? 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. 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. Another poster wrote, In light of this disturbing news, we are calling on ALL the victims who are still out there who have been abused by this sick monster to please come forward., We know there are many, many out there. After Garcias guilty plea, the churchs normally active Facebook page was dormant. It is Mexicos largest evangelical church and has branches in 50 countries, including churches in East and West Los Angeles. Where Are Naasn Joaqun Garcia's Wife and Kids Now? 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. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. The alleged crimes committed by Garcia occurred between 2015 and 2019. Garcia coerced victims into performing sexual acts by telling them that if they went against any of his desires or wishes as the Apostle, that they were going against God, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said at the time of the arrest. Crimes like those alleged in this complaint have no place in our society. 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 . Although, he denied the charges, including raping and trafficking girls from his congregation. This biographical article about a Mexican religious figure is a stub. 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. 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. But still just purely drinking from that information trough only from the Church. ", They spoke of how they had been manipulated and told they would be damned if they refused. "Ministers, pastors and deacons have their same duties. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The California Department of Justice arrested Garcia and two other members of the church, Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo, in 2019. Naason Joaquin Garcia, leader of La Luz del Mundo church, in court in Los Angeles in 2020. One commenter speculated about whether the terms of the plea deal might call for Garcia to out other alleged abusers in the church. As for their professional standing, while Alma allegedly serves as a social worker, Adoram has been linked to the Mexican soccer promotional league. There are apparently video clips of them engaging in such atrocious acts, some of which even go as far as to include extreme incest. [8], He was transferred to North Kern State Prison for evaluations to determine his placement within the prison system. Joaqun Garca was held on $50 million bail, Ocampo on $25 million, and Oaxaca remained free on bail. "You have to follow certain steps to prove your loyalty.". On June 3, 2019, Naasn, Susana, and Alondra landed in a private jet at the Los Angeles International Airport, where they were arrested. 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. "I see your beautiful faces because you are the children of God.". As a documentary series that lives up to its title in every way imaginable, HBOs Unveiled: Surviving La Luz Del Mundo can only be described as equal parts gripping, riveting, as well as haunting. Ocampo is the second woman from Garcias inner circle to turn against him. This was all Naasons doing.. 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. While he maintained his innocence for three years, Garca has . "I do not see the bars that separate me from you," he told his followers. Are You Taking It? Libor Jany covers the Los Angeles Police Department. She was accused of grooming teenage girls for Garcias sexual pleasure. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Azalea Rangel Melendez, who is currently at large. Some knelt and wept. But she also thinks many church members including her 85-year-old grandmother will continue to believe in Garcias innocence. 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. They have power, they have the money, she added. A copy of the complaint is available here. 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. [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. #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. The state of California refiled charges against Megachurch leader Naasn Joaqun Garca last week for child rape and human trafficking. [emailprotected]. Emailus. Susana Medina Oaxaca appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, June 21, 2019. The survivors had objected to the plea deal and said they had only found out about it at the last minute. 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