Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Earlier Friday, victims asked a judge to reject the plea deal or sentence the defendant to a far longer prison term. ode to the vampire mother results; national asset mortgage lawsuit; green tuna paper; mary davis sos band net worth Joaqun Garca and his co-defendants allegedly committed these crimes between 2015 and 2018 while leading La Luz Del Mundo, an international religious organization headquartered in Mexico with reportedly over one million followers worldwide. He is the fifth of eight children and during much . Its unclear whether the latters work involves him marketing a team or sponsoring them, but we do know he appears perfectly content at the moment. 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. Similar accusations emerged in September last year, so the trial ended up being rescheduled for May 2022. Im sure hell survive but I doubt it will be happy. He initially faced more than 20 charges, but most were dismissed after a plea deal with prosecutors. As the states chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Becerra is committed to combatting human trafficking and safeguarding the rights of trafficking survivors. Prosecutors said that the crimes dated back to at least 2015. "I think it changed for the better in the sense that now we feel more united, and we feel more empowered," she said. 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 reversal for a man who followers believe is an apostle appointed by God. 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 The survivors had objected to the plea deal and said they had only found out about it at the last minute. 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? Thats because it charts not just the way the titular Mexican non-traditional Christian Church took advantage of minors for years but also the 2019 apprehension of leader Naasn Joaqun Garcia. ", Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. 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.. Christopher Kellermeyer, whose wife Alondra Ocampo was charged with being Garcas accomplice by acting as a groomer, said Garcas followers would not be easily persuaded of his guilt. Oaxaca pleaded guilty to one count of assault likely to cause great bodily injury on Friday also. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges. If you have any questions please contact: Bilingual Services Program at (916) 210-7580. They bless the bread, the wine, and do other things as if he were here, although physically he is not.". We must not turn a blind eye to sexual violence and trafficking in our state. Naason Joaquin Garcia, leader of La Luz del Mundo church, in court in Los Angeles in 2020. This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 01:49. The KCAL News Staff is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on KCALNews.com and CBSLA.com. Todays conviction sends a clear message that sexual exploitation is never acceptable in California. Libor Jany covers the Los Angeles Police Department. Even outside the temple, the sound of his voice stirred emotions among dozens of devotees guarding entries to the sanctuary. Sexual assault is never acceptable. Another neighborhood resident, Sailem Castillo, also said she was upbeat despite Joaqun Garca's imprisonment. And still the bishops and the hierarchy are lying to the members. 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. Last year, Attorney General Becerrahelped bring downthe worlds largest online brothel, Backpage.com, and convicted its CEO. The church's doctrine is learned from the cradle. It is important to note that criminal charges are only allegations against a person. [9] He will soon face a civil trial for such crimes as human trafficking and forced labor. Another poster wrote, In light of this disturbing news, we are calling on ALL the victims who are still out there who have been abused by this sick monster to please come forward., We know there are many, many out there. Posted on 26 Feb in greenshield pharmacy intervention codes. I believe she [Ocampo] was brainwashed, said Martin. 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. . 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. "I do not see the bars that separate me from you," he told his followers. 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. The church was founded in 1926 by Garcias grandfather, who was succeeded by Garcias father, Samuel Joaquin Flores. Judge Ronald Coens harsh view of Garcafollowed hours of emotional and graphic testimony in a Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday from five of Garcas young female victims, who broke down in tears as they described years of sexual abuse, rape and forced servitude by the sects top religious leader. This was all Naasons doing.. My heart goes out to all those affected by the horrific actions brought to light during this case. 6 min read. September 19, 2022 / 8:20 AM 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "This is a path that God has placed in front of him for a reason, as he did for Apostle Paul.". On Sept. 8 a lawsuit was filed in California against Joaqun Garca and four church members alleged to be complicit in the sex abuse. "It has been a very difficult issue, of course, for him and for us," she added. Their spiritual leader is behind bars in California after pleading guilty to sexually abusing minors. After several delays, Garcias trial was supposed to start with jury selection Monday before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen. [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. [11], He is married to Alma Zamora, and they have three children: Adoram, Elda, Sibma. Held in jail on $90-million bail, Garcia faced charges ranging from human trafficking and rape to forcible oral copulation of a minor and possession of child pornography. They had once been his most devoted servants. They urged Judge Ronald Coen to impose a longer sentence, but he responded that his "hands are tied" by the agreement. In a major set back for the defense of Nasson Joaquin Garcia, his co-defendant, Alondra Ocampo, has pleaded guilty to four felony counts involving the sexual abuse of minors and is now prepared to testify against him at trial in California. 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 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. God has his plan.. Efforts to fight human trafficking have also included taking on labor exploitation. Congregation members in the neighborhood call each other "brother" and "sister" and take pride in helping one another. People who molest children, this is the kind of mentality they have. Former members of the Church stressed that Garcas relatively short sentence as a result of a plea deal with prosecutors means the 53-year-old could be back at the pulpit in 8-10 years. Emailus. "Ministers, pastors and deacons have their same duties. "All this goes to show that although you are part of this world, you have accepted a very particular way of life because you are Christian," Snchez-Walsh said. She has pleaded guilty to four counts as part of a deal in 2020. Garcia coerced victims into performing sexual acts by telling them that if they went against any of his desires or wishes as the Apostle, that they were going against God, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said at the time of the arrest. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. His unexpected plea change came during an unannounced hearing Friday, which was only disclosed after the fact in a news release. https://t.co/nTcxEFtidU. They dont doubt that the servant of God is lying to them or that hes committing a crime against them. Martin, who left the church years earlier, said in an interview with Brian Ross Investigates. She said she does not think the plea deal will result in a total crisis for the institution.. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Before joining The Times in 2018, he covered city news and state politics at the Hartford Courant. Sochil further alleged that her aunt and a foster mother groomed and coerced her into forcibly serving the church leaders. ", They spoke of how they had been manipulated and told they would be damned if they refused. CBS News Los Angeles: The Rundown (June 8 AM Edition). 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. Of course, for him and for us, '' he told his followers Naasons doing My. 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