Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. To gasps of surprise, Joaqun Garca addressed the congregation by telephone from his Los Angeles prison, where he is serving a 16-year sentence. Some knelt and wept. "I did cry, because I was saying, 'God, deliver me from this, make this time pass quickly,'" Haifa said from Texas. "SHAME, SHAME ON YOU!": California judge scolds families for abandoning sexual abuse survivors before sentencing self-declared "apostle" Naasn Joaqun Garc. This is not an organized religion, this is an organized institution of criminal activities thats been running for 96 years. The arrests and charges announced today were the result of an investigation initiated by the California Department of Justice. The survivors had objected to the plea deal and said they had only found out about it at the last minute. By Khaleda Rahman On 6/9/22 at 4:57 AM EDT. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Just days before his long-awaited trial was set to start, La Luz del Mundo leader Naason Joaquin Garcia pleaded guilty Friday to sexually abusing girls from his congregation, a stunning . We must not turn a blind eye to sexual violence and trafficking in our state. Even outside the temple, the sound of his voice stirred emotions among dozens of devotees guarding entries to the sanctuary. 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.Garca and his co-defendants allegedly committed these crimes between 2015 and 2018 while leading La Luz . [emailprotected]. A California appeals court ordered the . 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. 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. Naasn was revered among his church community, but things came crashing down around 2019 when he and two of his associates, Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo, came under the polices radar. 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 . 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. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Rich L.A. homeowners are snapping them up, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, Column: Supreme Court conservatives may want to block student loan forgiveness. ode to the vampire mother results; national asset mortgage lawsuit; green tuna paper; mary davis sos band net worth So, if youre interested in finding out about Naasns current whereabouts and how he was apprehended, heres what we know about the same! Apart from Naasn, his mother, wife, brother, and children were named in the lawsuit for being aware of the abuse. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. Ocampo has been held in custody for more than a year since her arrest with Garcia on his private jet at the Los Angeles airport by California law enforcement. https://t.co/nTcxEFtidU. "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.". While Flores was never charged with a crime, Garcias arrest and the subsequent charges against him made international headlines. March 21, 2022 17:02 ET | Source: The Light of the World. Earlier in 2020, a former La Luz Del Mundo church member, Sochil Martin, sued the church and its leaders. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges. In total, there are more than 30 crimes in total, including child pornography and trafficking in persons, committed between 2015 and 2018. In addition to Joaqun Garca, Alondra Ocampo and Susana Medina Oaxaca were also arrested. A megachurch has defended its leader after he was sentenced to more than 16 years in a California prison for sexually abusing . 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All Rights Reserved. She will be sentenced at a later date. "He's firm in his convictions, and the church is firm as well in its purpose of moving forward.". [7], Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo were also charged. With dual nationality, he was in charge of the church in the United States and led congregations in California, Arizona and Texas. Over several hours, the victims detailed horrific abuse by Garca. 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. According to recent records, Naasn was transferred to the North Kern State Prison in Delano, California, in August 2022. Thus, the Church of Light assured that based on the motion submitted it is clear that his constitutional rights have been unjustly violated, putting this as the main reason why he should be released. Church member Alondra Ocampo was expected to testify against him. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. 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. Because his religious registry is against Mexican Law now that he has been sentenced, there is currently a petition to remove his name from both The Light of The World church (iglesia La Luz del Mundo) and the Levitical Fraternity (Fraternidad Levtico) in that country. While he maintained his innocence for three years, Garca has . The RICO suit names him, the organization called Light of the World, his mother, his wife, his brother, and many of the leaders of the organization. La Luz del Mundo dissidents seek more charges . ", "I worshipped my abuser," said a woman identified as Jane Doe 4 and said she was his niece. 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. But still just purely drinking from that information trough only from the Church. 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. "He used me over and over again like a sacrificial lamb taken to slaughter.". Sexual assault is never acceptable. I believe she [Ocampo] was brainwashed, said Martin. After the court determined he was a flight risk, Garcia's been held without . Most teachings translate into something quotidian. Before joining the Los Angeles Times in 2022, he covered public safety for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. [11], He is married to Alma Zamora, and they have three children: Adoram, Elda, Sibma. "Instead of protecting those innocent women, Naasn and the church fostered and then brutally preyed on their blind trust and allegiance in the 'Apostle'". ", Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. 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. In 2018, Attorney General Becerracharged the operators of Rainbow Bright, a California adult residential and childcare company, with 59 criminal counts for alleged human trafficking and other alleged labor-related violations. Im sure hell survive but I doubt it will be happy. 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. On the other hand, a 19-page complaint was filed in court against Naasn by five unnamed victims. Earlier Friday, victims asked a judge to reject the plea deal or sentence the defendant to a far longer prison term. 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. The bail to be able to leave is 50 million dollars, one of the highest in history. CBS News Los Angeles: The Rundown (June 8 AM Edition). Garcia, he said, abused his authority to take advantage of children, while relying on his underlings to groom congregants for the purposes of sexual assault., Todays conviction can never undo the harm, Bonta declared, but it will help protect future generations.. Garcia has been in jail for nearly three years awaiting trial, since state prosecutors charged him with abusing girls who belonged to his Mexico-based megachurch. After Garcias guilty plea, the churchs normally active Facebook page was dormant. 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. I wouldnt doubt that theyll continue with the same logic, because weve already seen it, she said, pointing to sexual abuse allegations that Garcias father and grandfather, both of whom led the church, also faced. First published on June 8, 2022 / 3:01 PM. 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. But she also thinks many church members including her 85-year-old grandmother will continue to believe in Garcias innocence. 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