13-year-old girl leads Nebraska troopers on 100-mph chase. The case was prosecuted by the California Department of Justices Special Prosecutions Section with assistance from the Appeals, Writs, and Trials Section. After the court determined he was a flight risk, Garcia's 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 Ocampo pleaded guilty in 2020 to counts 19, 20, 21, and 33. Nevertheless, there are former members who say their ceremony was not optional. Naasn became involved with the churchs activities at a young age and served as a minister in several other congregations across California and Arizona. Copyright 2021 The republic Monitor All Right Reserved, Naasn Joaqun Garcia Family, Present Location and Details. 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. We will hold you accountable if you break the law, said Attorney General Bonta. 2023-01-18T21:52:44.872Z, Mexico: Child shot dead 10-year-old boy 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. She actively recruited and groomed girls for him, Thiagarajah said. 2023-01-18T22:10:45.162Z, "It does not rhyme": Michel Sardou not convinced by a song written by ChatGPT 2023-01-18T22:58:35.027Z, Last public meeting before the strike for Borne and Dussopt (LLDM, which claims a membership of more than 5 million in 50 nations, has locations in East and West Los Angeles, Orange County, and Palm Springs.) Susana Medina Oaxaca appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, June 21, 2019. Sentencing is currently scheduled for Wednesday, June 8 at 8:30 a.m. Todays conviction sends a clear message that sexual exploitation is never acceptable in California. He took a plea deal that dropped 23 sex abuse charges to just three counts of child sex abuse. 2023-01-18T22:40:34.753Z, 'Justice is perpetual': the claim during the tribute to Fernando Bez Sosa three years after the crime 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. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty. Over the course of the investigation and prosecution, prosecutors demonstrated that Garcas criminal conduct was enabled by the individuals surrounding him and that Garca used his position of trust and authority as the leader of La Luz del Mundo to sexually abuse children. They were suspected of committing 26 felonies in Los Angeles County between 2015 and 2018. 2023-01-18T23:10:41.702Z, Authorities record record number of firearms seized at US airports during 2022 If you see something, report it and we will vigorously pursue justice.. The Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006, (RELATED: Pastor Who Admitted To 1998 Sexual Assault Will Not Face Charges), (RELATED: DOJ Opens Investigation Into Roman Catholic Church Sex Abuse). 2023-01-18T22:22:56.161Z, Agriculture in space: scientists receive samples sent to the International Space Station 2023-01-18T23:22:51.824Z, Democratic Republic of the Congo: UN blue helmets find mass graves with almost 50 dead 2022 CBS Interactive 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. During services, the women sit to the right and men to the left. 2023-01-18T22:28:45.442Z, A study found what the smartest dog breed is - and it's not a border collie - voila! 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. We will always stand with Californians against injustice.. Garcia, 53, had publicly maintained his innocence for years. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The California Department of Justices investigation was supported by several law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Los Angeles Airport Police. "He's firm in his convictions, and the church is firm as well in its purpose of moving forward.". 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. Many believe he was sent by God to preach to them and are convinced he is innocent, despite his guilty plea. Ruiz told The Associated Press that his family has belonged to La Luz del Mundo for three generations. 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 Please consult with a translator for accuracy if you are relying on the translation or are using this site for official business. Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov, State of California Department of Justice, Consumer Protection and Economic Opportunity, California Justice Information Services (CJIS), Attorney General Bonta Secures Conviction Against Megachurch. 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. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Azalea Rangel Melendez, who is currently at large. The latter was the leader of the La "Knowing that these abuses took place there, in my happy place, in my safe place, is horrible," she said. - He is charged with crimes including forcible rape of a minor, conspiracy and extortion. Naasn Joaqun Garcia has been successfully married to Alma Zamora since 1992. The neighborhood has cafeterias, clinics, a recreation center and a store that sells Bibles and religious-themed games for children. 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. Heres where he is now. Sexual assault is never acceptable, said Attorney General Rob Bonta. Jericho, Bethlehem and Nazareth are among the names of roads converging on the white temple that locals call "the cake," for its white tiers that diminish in size as they rise upward. In some cities, people tithe more than 10% of their monthly income to the church. Megachurch leader Naason Joaquin Garcia has been sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison. John Roger Berg Murder | In what place is Vincent Vinnie Spoto now? 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. 2023-01-18T23:28:35.547Z, Hand in hand with the Argentine Dakar champion Kevin Benavides 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. 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. 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. Naasn Joaqun Garca may be released in December 2032. 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. Garcia inherited the office as leader from his father, Samuel Joaquin Flores, who also had sexual assault allegations standing against him, according to DW. La Luz del Mundo is sometimes described as evangelical, but its members do not embrace this term. A judge had thrown out four counts of extortion and sentencing enhancements for great bodily injury for lack of evidence. Their spiritual leader is behind bars in California after pleading guilty to sexually abusing minors. 2023-01-18T23:16:57.231Z, Thiago from 'Big Brother' asked for an exchange thermos: he received criticism and the memes exploded (Photo by ULISES RUIZ / AFP via Getty Images), Multiple witnesses came forward during in investigation launched in 2018 by the California Department of Justices Special Prosecutions Section. 2023-01-18T22:58:40.446Z, What is Cordyceps and what actually causes the fungus mentioned in "The Last of Us"? 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. 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. 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. Garcas grandfather founded the Guadalajara-based fundamentalist Christian church known by its English name, The Light of the World in 1926. 2023-01-18T22:22:50.746Z, Netflix presents a very varied and especially humorous cinematographic menu for 2023 As for their professional standing, while Alma allegedly serves as a social worker, Adoram has been linked to the Mexican soccer promotional league. Nassn Joaqun continues to be the leader of La Luz del Mundo church and one of the most powerful ministers of worship in Mexico. "For us everything is very nice, everything continues to work," she said. LLDM, which has anywhere from 1 to 5 million followers, was founded in 1926 by Aarn Joaqun Gonzlez in Jalisco, the Mexican state that is known for being the birthplace of tequila. Read More: Where is Naasn Joaqun Garcia Now? Nearly all closed their eyes. "The church weaponized the faith of their most vulnerable members," said Jonati Joey Yedidsion, one of the lawyers handling the lawsuit. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. It should be reiterated that this religious entity, like its leader, has been surrounded by controversies, investigations and allegations: in December 2020, the Financial Intelligence Unit filed five complaints against it. Nasson Joaquin Garcia admitted to two counts of forcible oral copulation with two individual minors and one count of a lewd act upon a child of the age of 15, according to a statement from the California attorney generals office. His confession came June 3, three days before his trial was scheduled to start. Naasn Joaqun Garcia was a church leader for a very long time and was a good and famous personality who used to perform good deeds but later on when the actual truth got 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. Naasn Joaqun Garca leads a service at his church "La Luz del Mundo" in Guadalajara, Mexico on Aug. 9, 2018. There are about 1 million U.S. members. 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. Child Tax Credit 2023: Will CTC Be There In Next Year? 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" 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. Oaxaca pleaded guilty to assault charges resulting in bodily harm, while Ocampo pleaded guilty in 2020 and still awaits sentencing. 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Todays conviction can never undo the harm, but it will help protect future generations. The family has already decided not to say anything about that individual, as they have stated that certain important things need to be discussed. 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" Warrant has also been issued for Azalea Rangel Melendez, who is currently at large,. Other congregations across California and Arizona several other congregations across California and Arizona abusing. Megachurch leader Naason Joaquin Garcia has been successfully married to Alma Zamora since 1992 Guadalajara-based fundamentalist church! 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