Naasón Joaquín García, leader of the La Luz del Mundo church, pleaded guilty this Friday to three counts of sexual abuse of minors, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement.
Garcia’s trial should start on monday with jury selection, but in an unexpected turnafter reaching an agreement with the authorities, Wednesday morning is expected to receive a sentence.
Garcia faced 19 charges, including sexual abuse of minors, rape, possession of child pornography and human trafficking. And since he was arrested at the Los Angeles airport in 2019, who calls himself the “Apostle of Jesus Christ” he had pleaded not guilty at all times.
“Today’s conviction sends a clear message that sexual exploitation will never be acceptable in California. We will hold accountable those who break the law,” California Attorney General added Friday. Rob Bonta in your statement.
The events attributed to García were committed between June 2015 and June 2019. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, three minors were invited to a group that attended him every time he visited Los Angeles.
But actually were subjected to different types of sexual abuse.
“He used his power to take advantage of minors. He trusted those around him to find him parishioners for the purpose of sexually assaulting them,” Prosecutor Bonta added.
Of the three charges for which he is expected to be sentenced, two are for having forced oral sex with minors and another for lewd acts with a minor under 15 years of age.
The criminal case is based on the testimony of five anonymous women, videos and conversations on phone applications.
What happened to the other defendants?
Together with García, the prosecution accused Susana Medina Oaxacawho was arrested alongside him at the Los Angeles airport in 2019.
The woman also pleaded guilty Wednesday and will be sentenced for “causing serious bodily injury.”
lark ocampo Y Azalea Rangel Melendez were listed as defendants if.
Ocampo had already pleaded guilty in 2020 to three counts of contact with a minor for a sexual offense and one count of forcible sexual penetration.
Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 12 and she is currently in Los Angeles’ Lynwood Jail for Women without bail.
Rangel Melendezfor its part, remains at large. She has two charges of rape and forced oral penetration against an adult woman from the congregation.
The light of the world is a religious congregation founded in the 1920s. He boasts of having close to 5 million parishioners around the world. He has had close ties to Mexican politics and has even supported candidates from various parties in that country.
In El Salvador, church leaders have also appeared alongside President Nayib Bukele.
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