The neighborhood has cafeterias, clinics, a recreation center and a store that sells Bibles and religious-themed games for children. 13-year-old girl leads Nebraska troopers on 100-mph chase. He took a plea deal that dropped 23 sex abuse charges to just three counts of child sex abuse. Susana Medina Oaxaca appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, June 21, 2019. "Instead of protecting those innocent women, Naasn and the church fostered and then brutally preyed on their blind trust and allegiance in the 'Apostle'". Church youth group leader Alondra Ocampo, who previously pleaded guilty to abusing the girls, was charged with directing teenage girls in skimpy outfits to perform flirty dances for Garca. Another neighborhood resident, Sailem Castillo, also said she was upbeat despite Joaqun Garca's imprisonment. In addition to Joaqun Garca, Alondra Ocampo and Susana Medina Oaxaca were also arrested. ", "I worshipped my abuser," said a woman identified as Jane Doe 4 and said she was his niece. The investigation revealed numerous instances of sexual assault that occurred in Los Angeles County since 2015, the California attorney generals office reported. Currently, journalists are not allowed to attend services or take photographs inside the church's temples. They were suspected of committing 26 felonies in Los Angeles County between 2015 and 2018. On June 8, 2022, Naasn was convicted for the three charges and sentenced to 16 years and 8 months behind bars. 2023-01-18T22:58:35.027Z, Last public meeting before the strike for Borne and Dussopt It is also anticipated that he wont survive this long and will die in prison within these 16 years. 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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. CBS Los Angeles reportedthe California Department of Justice arrested Joaqun Garcia and two other members of the church, Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo, in 2019. Garca had been scheduled to go on trial Monday on 19 counts that also included allegations of human trafficking to produce child pornography. 2023-01-19T00:10:36.153Z, This is what the interior of the "invisible house" looks like, which is for sale for US$ 18 million The 53-year-old pastor was sentenced to about 17 years in prison for sexual abuse of three minors. Please enter valid email address to continue. A forth accomplice, Azalea Rangel Melendez, remains at a large. Garcas grandfather founded the Guadalajara-based fundamentalist Christian church known by its English name, The Light of the World in 1926. "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.". There are apparently video clips of them engaging in such atrocious acts, some of which even go as far as to include extreme incest. Similar accusations emerged in September last year, so the trial ended up being rescheduled for May 2022. He is currently charged on more than 30 counts, including possession of child pornography, human trafficking, sexual abuse of minors and extortion. OAKLAND California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement on the nearly 17-year prison sentence imposed by the court for Naasn Joaqun Garca, the leader of La But in court they called him "evil" and a "monster," "disgusting human waste" and the "antichrist. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 2023-01-18T22:40:40.262Z, The Argentine Government will repurchase 1,000 million dollars of external debt This led to the position of the organization, which requested the release of its leader through a statement. 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 They started to move away from the official places where the media could cover them. A judge had thrown out four counts of extortion and sentencing enhancements for great bodily injury for lack of evidence. Citing crimes dating back to 2015, the California Department of Justice arrested Garca, aka the Apostle, in 2019 at Los Angeles International Airport, along with two other church members, Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo, and held him on $90-million bail. 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. 2023-01-19T00:22:36.569Z, Elizabeth Prez and Ral Senz analyze the elimination of Rafael Nadal from the Australian Open Ocampo told girls that if they rebuffed the wishes and desires of the apostle, they were going against God, according to the charges. Born on May 7, 1969, in Guadalajara, Mexico, Naasn Joaqun Garcia was the fifth of Mexican church leader Samuel Joaqun Flores eight children. And Naason Joaquin, whose followers call the "Apostle of Jesus Christ" and "Servant of God," signed a controversial agreement with the California District Attorney's Office They decided to stay away in a local house and California, the familys residence, for a long time. "I think it changed for the better in the sense that now we feel more united, and we feel more empowered," she said. Naasn Joaqun Garca leads a service at his church "La Luz del Mundo" in Guadalajara, Mexico on Aug. 9, 2018. The suit was filed by five women who - under the pseudonym Jane Doe - were identified as victims in the original criminal charges against him. She would target girls and bring them into his inner fold. Garca took over as apostle after his father, Samuel Joaqun Flores, died in 2014. Parents give biblical names to their children and take them to the temple at 40 days old to promise they will guide them to follow their path. 2023-01-18T23:17:02.633Z, With a reflection, Isabel Macedo responded to those who questioned her daughter's body Its male members favor suits and short hair, and female members wear veils that cover their hair and modest dresses. A copy of the charging document is available here. Her bail was originally set at $5 million. 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. "I do not see the bars that separate me from you," he told his followers. HBOs Unveiled: Surviving La Luz Del Mundo explores the story of alleged sexual abuse, many relating to minors, within a Mexico-based Christian megachurch called La Luz del Mundo (LLDM). 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. Details About Democratic US Senator Raphael Warnocks Children And His Win in Georgia Run-off Election, Check Who Is Hakeem Jeffries Wife And Know His Net Worth, Who is Kevin McCarthy Wife? A new adjustment to the parole eligibility date for Naasn Joaqun Garca, leader of the La Luz del Mundo church, puts him before a possible five-year reduction to his sentence for 2023-01-18T23:10:48.565Z, Qu Yingyan questioned that members of the Legislative Council have 80 days of summer vacation Jasper Jasper: As a member, I have to hold meetings during summer vacation 2023-01-18T22:34:34.710Z, Sex scandal in the police: a married policewoman had sex with policemen and they were all fired - voila! All news articles on 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. Garcia inherited the office as leader from his father, Samuel Joaquin Flores, who also had sexual assault allegations standing against him, according to DW. Read More: Where is Naasn Joaqun Garcia Now? Copyright 2021 The republic Monitor All Right Reserved, Naasn Joaqun Garcia Family, Present Location and Details. His confession came June 3, three days before his trial was scheduled to start. They had once been his most devoted servants. When he was a famous personality, the family used to live together in California, and the family life of all these individuals was very successful. 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. This included allegations of human trafficking, production of child pornography, forcible rape of a minor, and other felonies. Naasn Joaqun Garca may be released in December 2032 Dementia And Memory Loss Has Been Linked To This Common Pill. 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. 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. "You have to follow certain steps to prove your loyalty.". Ruiz told The Associated Press that his family has belonged to La Luz del Mundo for three generations. Over the course of the investigation and prosecution, prosecutors demonstrated that Garcas criminal conduct was enabled by the individuals surrounding him and that Garca used his position of trust and authority as the leader of La Luz del Mundo to sexually abuse children. Ocampo was prepared to testify against him, her attorney Fred Thiagarajah said. 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. The La Luz del Mundo church leader pleaded guilty Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court to two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act upon As per court documents, the complainants alleged he sexually abused one woman and three minors, also raping the woman and another child. 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. 2023-01-18T22:40:34.753Z, 'Justice is perpetual': the claim during the tribute to Fernando Bez Sosa three years after the crime The religion is "very demanding," said Arlene M. Snchez-Walsh, a professor of religious studies at Azusa Pacific University, a Christian institution near Los Angeles. 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. The bail to be able to leave is 50 million dollars, one of the highest in history. 2023-01-18T21:58:39.792Z, Manuela Schwesig: "I underestimated Putin's aggressiveness" 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. 2023-01-18T23:10:55.786Z, The atrocious methods of organized crime in Ecuador to sow terror 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. The revival consists of repeating "Glory to Christ" nonstop until the youths are heard speaking in tongues to testify that the Holy Spirit has entered them. Congregation members in the neighborhood call each other "brother" and "sister" and take pride in helping one another. Ocampo pleaded guilty to three felony counts of contact with a minor for the purposes of committing a sexual offense and one count of forcible sexual penetration two years ago. Read Also Joseph Pikul, Murderer of Diane Pikul Now? Prosecutors said he used his spiritual influence to have sex with several female followers and was aided by others in the church who facilitated the abuse. They will have to adjust to whatever happens. SACRAMENTO California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced the arrest and filing of charges against Naasn Joaqun Garca (Joaqun Garca) and his co The Associated Press contributed to this report. [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. Garca told the girls after they danced for him that a king could have mistresses and that an apostle of God can never be judged for his actions, according to the charges against him. His continued hold on his flock was evident recently at the Christian church's main temple in Guadalajara, as thousands gathered to pray for their absent leader during their Holy Supper, the most sacred festivity for La Luz del Mundo. Megachurch leader Naason Joaquin Garcia has been sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison. Please consult with a translator for accuracy if you are relying on the translation or are using this site for official business. 2023-01-18T22:52:56.769Z, RBD gathers their fans in different parts of the world to share an important announcement Joseph Pikul, Murderer of Diane Pikul Now. 2023-01-18T21:46:33.802Z, The Republicans: ric Ciotti's new organization chart sparks protest from Bruno Retailleau As the leader of La Luz del Mundo, Naasn Joaqun Garca used his power to take advantage of children. 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