In September of the same year, he reportedly addressed his congregation via a phone call behind bars. Are You Taking It? Naason Joaqun Garcia was arrested at the airport in Los Angeles, California, in June 2019. Their spiritual leader is behind bars in California after pleading guilty to sexually abusing minors. 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 John Roger Berg Murder | In what place is Vincent Vinnie Spoto now? Garcia inherited the office as leader from his father, Samuel Joaquin Flores, who also had sexual assault allegations standing against him, according to DW. On June 8, 2022, Naasn was convicted for the three charges and sentenced to 16 years and 8 months behind bars. We should mention that according to Vice, apart from Naasn, his family has also faced accusations of sexual abuse against minors. Garca had been scheduled to go on trial Monday on 19 counts that also included allegations of human trafficking to produce child pornography. The case has been difficult for some former members who have distanced themselves from the church. 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 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. / CBS/AP. Efforts to fight human trafficking have also included taking on labor exploitation. Like other women in Hermosa Provincia, she wears dresses and skirts that are not form-fitting, eschews makeup and earrings and wears her hair long. 2023-01-18T22:10:50.568Z, Yasmine Ateeq A cultural heritage seminar in Kafr Souseh, Damascus This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A fourth individual, Azalea Rangel Melendez, currently remains at large. Oaxaca pleaded guilty to assault charges resulting in bodily harm, while Ocampo pleaded guilty in 2020 and still awaits sentencing. The family has already decided not to say anything about that individual, as they have stated that certain important things need to be discussed. This led to the position of the organization, which requested the release of its leader through a statement. 2023-01-18T22:28:45.442Z, A study found what the smartest dog breed is - and it's not a border collie - voila! [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] Please consult with a translator for accuracy if you are relying on the translation or are using this site for official business. 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. Read More: Where is Naasn Joaqun Garcia Now? 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. 2023-01-18T23:10:35.355Z, Deadly brawl in Val-de-Marne: four minors indicted and imprisoned "He used me over and over again like a sacrificial lamb taken to slaughter. The Apostle of Jesus Christ has had no choice but to accept with much pain that the agreement presented is the best way forward to protect the church and his family, the church said in a statement to CBS News at the time. He relied on those around him to groom congregants for the purposes of sexual assault. In this case, the court set bail for Joaqun Garca at $25 million. Crimes like those alleged in this complaint have no place in our society. 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 a child who was 15. But prosecutors said the victims were essentially brainwashed by Garca and felt they would be ostracized by the insular church community if they didnt submit to his desires. She actively recruited and groomed girls for him, Thiagarajah said. 2023-01-18T22:16:34.318Z, These emoticons or emojis could alert you that your child uses drugs She would target girls and bring them into his inner fold. Later on, in 2019, when he was directly arrested for sexual abuse and rape 20 charges, that situation there was a very bad impact on the family members, especially on his wife and children, so the family members departed from the natural location and went on to live out of the line light. 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Naason Joaquin Garcia was arrested in L.A. this past summer and charged with child sexual abuse and human trafficking. 2023-01-18T21:58:34.026Z, A former Wagner Group mercenary fled to Norway and now reveals explosive secrets of Putin's so-called "chef" These individuals created a direct impact on their life. The case was prosecuted by the California Department of Justices Special Prosecutions Section with assistance from the Appeals, Writs, and Trials Section. 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. Garcia is currently in custody in lieu of $50 million bail and co- defendant Alondra Ocampo, 36, is being held on $25 million bail. 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. As of writing, the case is still being deliberated in a court of law. "I do not see the bars that separate me from you," he told his followers. He is the third apostle of the congregation after succeeding his father Samuel in power after his death on December 14, 2014. It is also anticipated that he wont survive this long and will die in prison within these 16 years. La Luz del Mundo is sometimes described as evangelical, but its members do not embrace this term. For Raquel Haifa, 43, fulfilling the revivals was a traumatizing experience that she considers abusive, because minors are not able to decline to take part. The investigation, which was launched in 2018, culminated in the arrest of Garca, Susana Medina Oaxaca, and Alondra Ocampo in 2019 for conduct that occurred over several years in Los Angeles County dating back to at least 2015. SACRAMENTO California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced the arrest and filing of charges against Naasn Joaqun Garca (Joaqun Garca) and his co After the imprisonment of her husband, she has already tried to protect her kids from protecting them from any particular problems they are supposed to face for whatever their father did with another woman. Many organization leaders, including Susana and Alondra, were accused of being the perpetrators. In addition, they accused the La Luz Del Mundo church of sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and gender violence, seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. "I see your beautiful faces because you are the children of God.". 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. 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. We will hold you accountable if you break the law, said Attorney General Bonta. If you have any questions please contact: Bilingual Services Program at (916) 210-7580. Please enter valid email address to continue. Today it claims a membership of more than 5 million in some 50 nations. According to recent records, Naasn was transferred to the North Kern State Prison in Delano, California, in August 2022. 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. ", First published on September 19, 2022 / 8:20 AM. 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. In addition to Joaqun Garca, Alondra Ocampo and Susana Medina Oaxaca were also arrested. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 2023-01-18T22:28:34.565Z, These are the searches Brian Walshe did on Google before and after he killed his wife Ana Walshe, according to prosecutors 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. 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The church's doctrine is learned from the cradle. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Joaqun Garca's prison sentence in June came after nearly three hours of emotional statements by five young women he was charged with sexually abusing. Gut-wrenching: Rep. Quentin Williams, a rising political star, killed in wrong-way accident. 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 2023-01-18T21:41:01.084Z, A 115-year-old Spaniard could be the new oldest of humanity 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. Garcas grandfather founded the Guadalajara-based fundamentalist Christian church known by its English name, The Light of the World in 1926. "Knowing that these abuses took place there, in my happy place, in my safe place, is horrible," she said. Even outside the temple, the sound of his voice stirred emotions among dozens of devotees guarding entries to the sanctuary. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. Sara Pozos, 49, is among many in the neighborhood who believe their leader's imprisonment has strengthened the church. 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 abusers no matter who they are will be held accountable.. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. There are about 1 million U.S. members. While Naasn maintained he was innocent for several months as he awaited his trial, in a shocking turn of events, he accepted a plea deal just three days before his trial commenced in June 2022. 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. 13,512 Alert: Alzheimer's-Like Moreover, the eldest Joaqun child has even been quite active in the La Luz del Mundo congregation lately and could potentially be preparing to succeed his father. 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. All news articles on Biblical verses are cited to explain behavior. 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. 2023-01-18T23:17:02.633Z, With a reflection, Isabel Macedo responded to those who questioned her daughter's body They had once been his most devoted servants. 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