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. 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. 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. God has his plan.. The Office of the Attorney General is unable to guarantee the accuracy of this translation and is therefore not liable for any inaccurate information resulting from the translation application tool. So far he remains imprisoned in the United States. Born on May 7, 1969, in Guadalajara, Mexico, Naasn Joaqun Garcia was the fifth of Mexican church leader Samuel Joaqun Flores eight children. I know how hard it is for them to see Naason like a normal person that also does bad things, she said. First published on June 8, 2022 / 3:01 PM. It is unclear what his guilty admission will mean for the megachurch with international reach, and whether it will force the kind of larger reckoning over abuse and decades-long cover-ups that has swept the Catholic Church. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. #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. The KCAL News Staff is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on KCALNews.com and CBSLA.com. [1] Early life [ edit] "It is not sufficient to say 'I have converted' or "I have baptized'" she said. Have a tip or story idea? Please consult with a translator for accuracy if you are relying on the translation or are using this site for official business. 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. The church's doctrine is learned from the cradle. "It has been a very difficult issue, of course, for him and for us," she added. Both father and son have been accused of using the churchs young members as sexual servants, of leading lavish lifestyles on the backs of their followers and of intimidating church members into silence and submission. Spanning the main street is a sculpture spelling "innocent" in Spanish. The survivors had objected to the plea deal and said they had only found out about it at the last minute. Oaxaca pleaded guilty to one count of assault likely to cause great bodily injury in June. 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. 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. Nevertheless, there are former members who say their ceremony was not optional. revocar-registros-religiosos-de-njg-pederasta-confeso, On June 3, 2019, Joaqun Garca was arrested and charged by prosecutors from Los Angeles County with sexual abuse charges involving minors. A megachurch has defended its leader after he was sentenced to more than 16 years in a California prison for sexually abusing . The attorney general of California, Xavier Becerra, has even said that he is a madman. The leader, of the Church of Light, today behind bars of a prison in California, is accused, along with three accomplices, of multiple crimes. 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. A copy of the complaint is available here. Los Angeles, A $150,000 executive protection dog? [11], He is married to Alma Zamora, and they have three children: Adoram, Elda, Sibma. [8], He was transferred to North Kern State Prison for evaluations to determine his placement within the prison system. By Khaleda Rahman On 6/9/22 at 4:57 AM EDT. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges. ", 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. 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. Naasn Joaqun Garcia, 53, faces more than 16 years in state prison and . Sexual assault is never acceptable. 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. Period, said Attorney General Becerra. 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. I said She was only 14 and you replied I should have brought her to you sooner., In pronouncing his sentence, the judge criticized those who had turned their backs on the victims, saying Shame, shame on you., But none of that seemed to deter his followers and church leaders who claimed the prosecutions evidence was doctored and altered, as they reiterated their support for the man they call their Apostle. A statement from church leaders following the sentencing stated our confidence in him remains intact, comparing his prosecution to a path that God has placed in front of him for a reason, as he did for Apostle Paul.. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Best coffee city in the world? 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 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 initially faced more than 20 charges, but most were dismissed after a plea deal with prosecutors. Illicit enrichment, money laundering, transfers to tax havens and the purchase of luxury goods and services were some of the alerts issued by the unit. One commenter speculated about whether the terms of the plea deal might call for Garcia to out other alleged abusers in the church. So, if youre interested in finding out about Naasns current whereabouts and how he was apprehended, heres what we know about the same! This led to the position of the organization, which requested the release of its leader through a statement. "I do not see the bars that separate me from you," he told his followers. [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. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. He is the fifth of eight children and during much . Before joining the Los Angeles Times in 2022, he covered public safety for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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 church says it has congregations in all 50 American states. Naason Joaquin Garcia, leader of La Luz del Mundo church, in court in Los Angeles in 2020. In exchange, prosecutors dropped 16 counts that included allegations of raping children and women, as well as human trafficking to produce child pornography. 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. 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. Joaqun Garca, 53, was arrested in 2019 in California. 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. 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. ", "I worshipped my abuser," said a woman identified as Jane Doe 4 and said she was his niece. Garcia, charged with 23 counts of child sex abuse, is being held on $90 million bail; trial is scheduled for November. She said she expects more will decide to leave because of the guilty plea. Matthew Ormseth is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. 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. In September of the same year, he reportedly addressed his congregation via a phone call behind bars. 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. Im sure hell survive but I doubt it will be happy. Its not me thats doing this, this is what God wants you to do, Thiagarajah told Brian Ross. He is currently charged on more than 30 counts, including possession of child pornography, human. Newsweek has asked the office of California's attorney general for comment on the church's claims. by CNS June 8, 2022. They can never accept responsibility for themselves and for their actions. Congregation members in the neighborhood call each other "brother" and "sister" and take pride in helping one another. They bless the bread, the wine, and do other things as if he were here, although physically he is not.". Another codefendant, Susana Medina Oaxaca, who was Garcias former assistant, pleaded guilty Friday to a charge of assault likely to cause great bodily injury, Bontas office said. 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. 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. 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