He's known to church members as Aarn - a result, he said, of God asking him to change his name. (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. This is actually despite the fact he was born as the fifth of seven children to Samuel Joaqun Flores (his predecessor) and Eva Garca Lpez in May 1969 in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco. She also conducted nude photo shoots for Garca in which the girls touched each other, according to the charges. In some cities, people tithe more than 10% of their monthly income to the church. Garca and Ocampo remain in custody. Garca had been scheduled to go on trial Monday on 19 counts that also included allegations of human trafficking to produce child pornography. His confession came June 3, three days before his trial was scheduled to start. Moreover, if they denied or hesitated, they were blackmailed by being told how they were defying Gods will. Yet, despite the charges against Naasn, his followers and the La Luz del Mundo continued supporting him and believing his claims of innocence. As for their professional standing, while Alma allegedly serves as a social worker, Adoram has been linked to the Mexican soccer promotional league. The case was prosecuted by the California Department of Justices Special Prosecutions Section with assistance from the Appeals, Writs, and Trials Section. Most teachings translate into something quotidian. Naasn Joaqun Garcia Family, Present Location and Details By Indrayudh Published December 8, 2022 Naasn Joaqun Garcia Family has always decided to stay away from LimeLight for a very long time as the family members have always faced many bad considerations when they are related to 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. 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. Only in September 2020 did the man plead not guilty to the crimes charged against him. 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. As the states chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Becerra is committed to combatting human trafficking and safeguarding the rights of trafficking survivors. As of writing, the case is still being deliberated in a court of law. 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. Ocampo was prepared to testify against him, her attorney Fred Thiagarajah said. 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. Oaxaca also pleaded guilty today in court and was convicted of assault likely to cause great bodily injury. [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] However, his wife Alma Zamora de Joaqun, with whom hed tied the knot in 1992, reportedly does not enjoy the same status in any of the 50+ countries wherein the church has a presence. "He's firm in his convictions, and the church is firm as well in its purpose of moving forward.". If you see something, report it and we will vigorously pursue justice.. Some knelt and wept. "For us everything is very nice, everything continues to work," she said. 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. Todays conviction is the result of a multiyear investigation and prosecution led by the California Department of Justice. 2023-01-18T21:58:39.792Z, Manuela Schwesig: "I underestimated Putin's aggressiveness" According to recent records, Naasn was transferred to the North Kern State Prison in Delano, California, in August 2022. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Read More: How Did Samuel Joaqun Flores Die? 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. Garcia, 53, had publicly maintained his innocence for years. In the true-crime docuseries, several survivors share their stories of abuse they have suffered at the hands of the powerful religious groups successive leaders, known as the apostles. In 2019, the churchs head, Naasn Joaqun Garca, faced 36 charges, including human trafficking, rape, child pornography, and forcible oral copulation of a minor, according to the Los Angeles Times. 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. I do not see the bars that separate me from you, he told the congregants. Stimulus Check 4 Expected Date Direct Deposit For Social Security Recipients. 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. Not just that, the complaint detailed how the victims were reportedly forced to perform sexual acts and dances in minimal clothing for their Apostle. 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. His victims wept and begged the court for a reversal while his followers continue to adore him. Similar accusations emerged in September last year, so the trial ended up being rescheduled for May 2022. The neighborhood has cafeterias, clinics, a recreation center and a store that sells Bibles and religious-themed games for children. Many believe he was sent by God to preach to them and are convinced he is innocent, despite his guilty plea. 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. Garcas grandfather founded the Guadalajara-based fundamentalist Christian church known by its English name, The Light of the World in 1926. 2023-01-18T23:10:48.565Z, Qu Yingyan questioned that members of the Legislative Council have 80 days of summer vacation Jasper Jasper: As a member, I have to hold meetings during summer vacation Details About Democratic US Senator Raphael Warnocks Children And His Win in Georgia Run-off Election, Check Who Is Hakeem Jeffries Wife And Know His Net Worth, Who is Kevin McCarthy Wife? The attorney general of California, Xavier Becerra, has even said that he is a madman. The leader, of the Church of Light, today behind bars of a prison in California, is accused, along with three accomplices, of multiple crimes. 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.. As a result, he pled guilty to two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act upon a child who was 15 years old. 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. 2023-01-18T21:29:17.222Z, What strategies to use to get out of your credit card debt? Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Please consult with a translator for accuracy if you are relying on the translation or are using this site for official business. "Instead of protecting those innocent women, Naasn and the church fostered and then brutally preyed on their blind trust and allegiance in the 'Apostle'". "I think it changed for the better in the sense that now we feel more united, and we feel more empowered," she said. These individuals created a direct impact on their life. John Roger Berg Murder | In what place is Vincent Vinnie Spoto now? 2023-01-18T22:10:55.924Z, General Motors introduces the first fast-accelerating electric Corvette Many organization leaders, including Susana and Alondra, were accused of being the perpetrators. 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. As the leader of La Luz del Mundo, Naasn Joaqun Garca used his power to take advantage of children. In September 2022, the Associated Press reported that thousands gathered to pray for their absent leader at the churchs main temple in Guadalajara, and to gasps of surprise, Garca addressed the congregation by telephone from his Los Angeles prison. Read More: Where is Naasn Joaqun Garcia Now? 2023-01-18T21:29:11.792Z. So, if youre interested in finding out about Naasns current whereabouts and how he was apprehended, heres what we know about the same! 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Copyright 2021 The republic Monitor All Right Reserved, Naasn Joaqun Garcia Family, Present Location and Details. Heres where he is now. 2023-01-18T21:46:33.802Z, The Republicans: ric Ciotti's new organization chart sparks protest from Bruno Retailleau Garca took over as apostle after his father, Samuel Joaqun Flores, died in 2014. Born on May 7, 1969, in Guadalajara, Mexico, Naasn Joaqun Garcia was the fifth of Mexican church leader Samuel Joaqun Flores eight children. 2023-01-19T00:04:36.145Z, Who is Keityn, the co-author of the lyrics of Shakira and Bizarrap's hit 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 SACRAMENTO California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced the arrest and filing of charges against Naasn Joaqun Garca (Joaqun Garca) and his co On June 3, 2019, Naasn, Susana, and Alondra landed in a private jet at the Los Angeles International Airport, where they were arrested. 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. Garcia inherited the office as leader from his father, Samuel Joaquin Flores, who also had sexual assault allegations standing against him, according to DW. / CBS/AP. The church contended that prosecutors withheld or doctored evidence, and said Joaqun Garca pleaded guilty because he didn't think he could get a fair trial. The home base of the church is the Guadalajara neighborhood of Hermosa Provincia, Spanish for "beautiful province." On June 8, 2022, Naasn was convicted for the three charges and sentenced to 16 years and 8 months behind bars. 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. 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. As a result of todays guilty plea, Garca has been convicted of two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act upon a child who was 15 years old. 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. We will hold you accountable if you break the law, said Attorney General Bonta. Oaxaca pleaded guilty to assault charges resulting in bodily harm, while Ocampo pleaded guilty in 2020 and still awaits sentencing. A copy of the complaint is available here. Naason Joaquin Garcia, leader of La Luz del Mundo church, in court in Los Angeles in 2020. The arrests and charges announced today were the result of an investigation initiated by the California Department of Justice. Ahead of the baptism, in a ritual known as "the revivals," children undergo days of prayer and fasting inside a temple. 2023-01-18T21:52:44.872Z, Mexico: Child shot dead 10-year-old boy 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. He initially faced more than 20 charges, but most were dismissed after a plea deal with prosecutors. A Teen Murder Victim's Horrific Diary Entry Helped Police Find Her Killer, Kai The Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker Was Arrested Months After His Viral Interview, Netflix's Latest True-Crime Docuseries Dives Into A $65 Billion Ponzi Scheme, 'The Last Of Us' Star Bella Ramsey Almost Didnt Take The Role Of Ellie, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter, By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Today it claims a membership of more than 5 million in some 50 nations. 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. Sochil further alleged that her aunt and a foster mother groomed and coerced her into forcibly serving the church leaders. A judge had thrown out four counts of extortion and sentencing enhancements for great bodily injury for lack of evidence. It seems clear that many members of the church, founded in Mexico in 1926 and now active in many countries, aren't ready to abandon Joaqun Garca as their "apostle" - the term used for the church's leader. Nice, everything continues to work, '' she said La Luz del Mundo, Naasn was convicted the! 19 counts that also included allegations of human trafficking to produce child pornography the result of a investigation. Justices Special Prosecutions Section with assistance from the Appeals, Writs, and the church leaders from the,... 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