They also named Garca, his wife and children, and three other women in the suit, who they said either knew about the abuse or helped groom them for Garca. The head of the multinational church La Luz del Mundo was sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to several sexual assault charges. 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. The release of the leader of the La Luz del Mundo church on that date will be conditional on his good behavior. 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. Garcia inherited the office as leader from his father, Samuel Joaquin Flores, who also had sexual assault allegations standing against him, according to DW. The neighborhood has cafeterias, clinics, a recreation center and a store that sells Bibles and religious-themed games for children. Since Joaqun Garca's arrest, La Luz del Mundo's media relations team says it cannot make official statements on his case because litigation is ongoing. I do not see the bars that separate me from you, he told the congregants. 2023-01-18T21:29:11.792Z. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit hotline.rainn.org. Read More: How Did Samuel Joaqun Flores Die? 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Last year, Attorney General Becerrahelped bring downthe worlds largest online brothel, Backpage.com, and convicted its CEO. "I think it changed for the better in the sense that now we feel more united, and we feel more empowered," she said. 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"He's firm in his convictions, and the church is firm as well in its purpose of moving forward.". Considering the evidence set forth in the motion filed, it is clear that his rights have been unjustly violated and all charges against the Apostle should be dismissed, and he should be Ocampo told girls that if they rebuffed the wishes and desires of the apostle, they were going against God, according to the charges. "We all suffer something in life, but one learns to know those moments where you see that God is doing something to help you, to get ahead, not to let you fall.". Not just that, the complaint detailed how the victims were reportedly forced to perform sexual acts and dances in minimal clothing for their Apostle. Garca and Ocampo remain in custody. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Defense lawyers had said prosecutors were operating under a far-fetched legal theory that Garca used spiritual coercion for sexual pleasure. Born on May 7, 1969, in Guadalajara, Mexico, Naasn Joaqun Garcia was the fifth of Mexican church leader Samuel Joaqun Flores eight children. To gasps of surprise, Joaqun Garca addressed the congregation by telephone from his Los Angeles prison, where he is serving a 16-year sentence. news A copy of the complaint is available here. The latter was the leader of the La Crimes like those alleged in this complaint have no place in our society. This is actually despite the fact he was born as the fifth of seven children to Samuel Joaqun Flores (his predecessor) and Eva Garca Lpez in May 1969 in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco. Copyright 2021 The republic Monitor All Right Reserved, Naasn Joaqun Garcia Family, Present Location and Details. While he initially did not enter a plea, he was held at a shocking $50 million bail, generating massive outrage among his followers against the legal authorities. Garcas grandfather founded the Guadalajara-based fundamentalist Christian church known by its English name, The Light of the World in 1926. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. / CBS/AP. Only in September 2020 did the man plead not guilty to the crimes charged against him. 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. 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Has Tension risen Between President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris? ", First published on September 19, 2022 / 8:20 AM. A fourth individual, Azalea Rangel Melendez, currently remains at large. 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. 2023-01-18T23:22:35.481Z, By 2100 the sea level could rise up to 50 centimeters, according to a study The other individuals named in the complaint are Alondra Ocampo, Azalea Rangel Melendez, and Susana Medina Oaxaca, all of whom are affiliated with La Luz Del Mundo. 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 Joaqun Garca, the leader of a Mexico-based evangelical church with a worldwide membership of more than 1 million appeared with his defense attorneys Ken Rosenfeld (RELATED: DOJ Opens Investigation Into Roman Catholic Church Sex Abuse). Oaxaca pleaded guilty to assault charges resulting in bodily harm, while Ocampo pleaded guilty in 2020 and still awaits sentencing. 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. "The apostle always shows determination to move forward," said Phares Ruiz, who traveled from El Salvador to attend the Holy Supper. 13-year-old girl leads Nebraska troopers on 100-mph chase. The bail to be able to leave is 50 million dollars, one of the highest in history. 2023-01-18T23:17:02.633Z, With a reflection, Isabel Macedo responded to those who questioned her daughter's body [3] [4] [5] Two days before his trial, Naasn Joaqun Garcia pleaded guilty to three charges related to sexually abusing children. [6] On June 8 2022 he was convicted and sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison. [7] Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo were also charged. Kevin McCarthy is a famous politician and his scandal love life, Stimulus Check-In January 2023: Find Out More Updates, Will SSI Get A Fourth Stimulus Check? As of today, the Apostle has been detained for almost three years without attainable bail. 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. The California Department of Justices investigation was supported by several law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Los Angeles Airport Police. Please enter valid email address to continue. Check Out Here, Will You Get Another Stimulus Payment in 2023? An arrest warrant has also been issued for Azalea Rangel Melendez, who is currently at large. The grandson of the churchs 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 count of committing a lewd act on a child in exchange for a reduced sentence of 17 years behind bars. After that trial that happened in 2019, certain things were not in their favour of him, so in 2019 when the official decision from The laws came, it stated that he would be imprisoned for 16 years. Ahead of the baptism, in a ritual known as "the revivals," children undergo days of prayer and fasting inside a temple. Even outside the temple, the sound of his voice stirred emotions among dozens of devotees guarding entries to the sanctuary. Susana Medina Oaxaca appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, June 21, 2019. Most teachings translate into something quotidian. 2023-01-18T23:22:46.392Z, They planned to "survive the end of the world." Child Tax Credit 2023: Will CTC Be There In Next Year? 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. Garcia is currently in custody in lieu of $50 million bail and co- defendant Alondra Ocampo, 36, is being held on $25 million bail. A judge had thrown out four counts of extortion and sentencing enhancements for great bodily injury for lack of evidence. January 5, 2023 Breaking News Followers of Naasn Joaqun Garca demand his release The Church of the Light of the World issued a statement in defense of The Apostle of "The church weaponized the faith of their most vulnerable members," said Jonati Joey Yedidsion, one of the lawyers handling the lawsuit. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Naasn Joaqun Garcia has been successfully married to Alma Zamora since 1992. Ocampo was prepared to testify against him, her attorney Fred Thiagarajah said. [1] Joaqun Garca was born on May 7, 1969 in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, the fifth of seven children to Samuel Joaqun Flores and Eva Garca. [2] Coming to his two sisters, Elda and Simba, aside from the fact the latter has ostensibly been married since 2013, we, unfortunately, do not know much about them in any manner. 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