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 As the states chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Becerra is committed to combatting human trafficking and safeguarding the rights of trafficking survivors. 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. 2023-01-18T21:40:55.584Z, Lautaro Martnez, champion again a month from the World Cup: great goal and title with Inter in the Italian Super Cup It is important to note that criminal charges are only allegations against a person. Garcia inherited the office as leader from his father, Samuel Joaquin Flores, who also had sexual assault allegations standing against him, according to DW. If you have any questions please contact: Bilingual Services Program at (916) 210-7580. 2023-01-18T22:58:35.027Z, Last public meeting before the strike for Borne and Dussopt The leader of the megachurch was helped by church associates Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo. With Naasns grandfather Aaron Joaquin Gonzalez having established La Luz Del Mundo in 1926 and him being a third-generation heir, its honestly no surprise hed gained worldwide notoriety. 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. news She was detained for a few days in a jail in this city and was released after paying bail of $150,000. 2023-01-18T22:10:34.237Z, grew up in an abusive home and now cares for others with the same trauma: "When there is violence in the family, the transparent child is also a victim" | Israel today So, if youre interested in finding out about Naasns current whereabouts and how he was apprehended, heres what we know about the same! 2023-01-18T22:10:55.924Z, General Motors introduces the first fast-accelerating electric Corvette However, this might merely pertain to his father rather than his wife or kids since neither of them has ever been indicted on such offenses. Find In Detail, A Murder Charge has been Filed Against the Husband of Missing Cohasset Woman Ana Walshe, Who is McClaude Bridges: Suspect who assaulted Ariana Simms is identified as a 66 year Old Man. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. A fourth individual, Azalea Rangel Melendez, currently remains at large. We will always stand with Californians against injustice.. Please consult with a translator for accuracy if you are relying on the translation or are using this site for official business. 2023-01-18T22:52:45.963Z, Police search a container in Sheung Shui and reveal it as a Pai Gow gambling stall A copy of the charging document is available here. 2023-01-18T23:17:02.633Z, With a reflection, Isabel Macedo responded to those who questioned her daughter's body 2023-01-18T21:29:17.222Z, What strategies to use to get out of your credit card debt? The church's doctrine is learned from the cradle. Currently, journalists are not allowed to attend services or take photographs inside the church's temples. Joaqun Garca and his co-defendants allegedly 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. His false impact has directly got upon two his wife and especially on his kids as they have got a very bad image of their father, which has affected them to a great extent. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Born on May 7, 1969, in Guadalajara, Mexico, Naasn Joaqun Garcia was the fifth of Mexican church leader Samuel Joaqun Flores eight children. 2023-01-18T22:22:45.283Z, TikTok, banned from government devices in more than half of US states. Gut-wrenching: Rep. Quentin Williams, a rising political star, killed in wrong-way accident. 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. 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. He is currently charged on more than 30 counts, including possession of child pornography, human trafficking, sexual abuse of minors and extortion. If you have any questions please contact: Bilingual Services Program at (916) 210-7580. "It has been a very difficult issue, of course, for him and for us," she added. Since having carried out harassment of minors, touching and rape. (RELATED: Pastor Who Admitted To 1998 Sexual Assault Will Not Face Charges), Aerial view of followers of Mexico-based Pentecostal church La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World), surrounding its headquarters during its annual gathering in Guadalajara, Jalisco state, Mexico, on August 9, 2019. 2023-01-18T23:16:51.808Z, Barby Franco showed her body a month after the birth of her daughter and received praise: "Finally a famous woman who publishes something real and natural" Read More: How Did Samuel Joaqun Flores Die? 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. 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. Its male members favor suits and short hair, and female members wear veils that cover their hair and modest dresses. 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. 2023-01-18T23:22:35.481Z, By 2100 the sea level could rise up to 50 centimeters, according to a study On Sept. 8 a lawsuit was filed in California against Joaqun Garca and four church members alleged to be complicit in the sex abuse. "He used me over and over again like a sacrificial lamb taken to slaughter. We will hold you accountable if you break the law, said Attorney General Bonta. 2022-08-21, US Congress imposter: George Santos is said to have cheated veterans out of $3,000 for dying dog The case was prosecuted by the California Department of Justices Special Prosecutions Section with assistance from the Appeals, Writs, and Trials Section. 13,512 Alert: Alzheimer's-Like 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 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. Child Tax Credit 2023: Will CTC Be There In Next Year? 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. Garca and Oaxaca were arrested at the Los Angeles International Airport upon arrival into the United States and Ocampo was also arrested separately in Los Angeles County. 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. I see your beautiful faces because you are the children of God., Per the AP, near the end of the call, he asked his followers to raise their hands and their voices to God and repeat after him: I promise you, Lord, that whatever the suffering, I will never abandon you. Loyalists, like 49-year-old Sara Pozos, told the AP that the La Luz Del Mundo leaders imprisonment has united the church and changed it for the better., Meanwhile, five women, known as Jane Does, who said Garca sexually abused them between 2015 and 2019, filed a civil lawsuit in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeking damages against the church. Biblical verses are cited to explain behavior. Garcas grandfather founded the Guadalajara-based fundamentalist Christian church known by its English name, The Light of the World in 1926. During services, the women sit to the right and men to the left. Apart from Naasn, his mother, wife, brother, and children were named in the lawsuit for being aware of the abuse. 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. 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Wade, Best treadmills for your for your home gym in 2023, plus deals, Philadelphia Flyers' Ivan Provorov refuses to wear LGBTQ+ Pride Night jersey, Rapper Flo Rida awarded $83M in fight with energy drink maker, Schools struggle to provide meals for kids as inflation sends food costs soaring, Why a medical exam may be required for life insurance, 3 times to increase your life insurance coverage, Megachurch leader gets over 16 years for abuse, Mexican megachurch leader gets over 16 years in prison for sexual abuse. She claimed facing decades of abuse at the hands of the leaders, including Naasn and his late father, Samuel Joaqun Flores. Defendants facing state criminal allegations are eligible for bail in most cases, allowing them to await future court dates out of police custody if they have the financial resources to post bail. 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. On June 3, 2019, Naasn, Susana, and Alondra landed in a private jet at the Los Angeles International Airport, where they were arrested. Ocampo will be sentenced at a later date. 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. La Luz del Mundo is a church that originated in According to the suit, the victims said they were routinely coerced since they were children to believe that Garcas wishes were direct orders from God and that if they didnt obey, it would lead to catastrophic consequences including, but not limited to, eternal damnation, unspeakable tragedy, infertility, and countless other harms.. "Ministers, pastors and deacons have their same duties. 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. 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. If you see something, report it and we will vigorously pursue justice.. 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. 2023-01-18T23:16:35.364Z, Department of Justice's "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Task Force" meets for the first time to set three work directions "I do not see the bars that separate me from you," he told his followers. Hes serving a nearly 17-year sentence in Los Angeles on sex abuse charges. Naasn Joaqun Garcia Family, especially his wife kids and mother, have not provided any serious statement against him as they have kept their silence in the entire matter and have also decided that there is no importance and discussing whatever has happened as they have already decided not to keep any relation with that man and also stay at that has not been any important details available about him. 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. 2023-01-18T23:10:55.786Z, The atrocious methods of organized crime in Ecuador to sow terror LOS ANGELES (RNS) Naasn Joaqun Garca, the leader of La Luz del Mundo, is facing a new lawsuit filed by five women who allege he sexually abused them while other church members groomed them and used the religion as ammunition against them. Another female co-defendant who was a member of the church, Susana Medina Oaxaca, 27, pleaded guilty Friday to assault likely to cause great bodily injury, a misdemeanor. January 5, 2023 Breaking News Followers of Naasn Joaqun Garca demand his release The Church of the Light of the World issued a statement in defense of The Apostle of They will have to adjust to whatever happens. Todos Los Derechos Reservados 2021 Infobae, Lawyers of the leader of the Light of the World threatened witnesses from the United States and Mexico, I saw a criminal: Naasn Joaqun's assistant told how he lived 30 years with the former leader of La Luz del Mundo, There is already a date for the trial against Naasn Joaqun Garcia: The Light of the World awaits justice for the Apostle of Jesus Christ. 2023-01-18T22:52:56.769Z, RBD gathers their fans in different parts of the world to share an important announcement 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. La Luz del Mundo is sometimes described as evangelical, but its members do not embrace this term. 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. It is also anticipated that he wont survive this long and will die in prison within these 16 years. Castillo, a recently married woman of 25, told AP the church advises members how "to lead a decent life," in which women may not drink alcohol or go out on frequent dates. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. Some knelt and wept. Many believe he was sent by God to preach to them and are convinced he is innocent, despite his guilty plea. 2023-01-18T22:58:40.446Z, What is Cordyceps and what actually causes the fungus mentioned in "The Last of Us"? The investigation began in 2018, in part, because of information submitted to the California Department of Justice through the clergy abuse online complaint form. In this case, the court set bail for Joaqun Garca at $25 million. In total, there are more than 30 crimes in total, including child pornography and trafficking in persons, committed between 2015 and 2018. Flores was also the subject of child sex abuse allegations in 1997, but authorities in Mexico never filed criminal charges. Since Joaqun Garca's arrest, La Luz del Mundo's media relations team says it cannot make official statements on his case because litigation is ongoing. Naasn became involved with the churchs activities at a young age and served as a minister in several other congregations across California and Arizona. 2023-01-18T21:52:39.473Z, CDU politician Kiesewetter blames ex-defense minister Guttenberg for the decline of the Bundeswehr Garcia pleaded guilty to counts 1, 7, and 9. 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