Leader of Mexico-based megachurch sentenced in LA to more than 16 years in prison for sex abuse

Naasón Joaquín García was sentenced Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom after pleading responsible to 3 felonies on the eve of a long-awaited trial.

Naasón Joaquín García, 53, who is taken into account the “apostle” of Jesus Christ by his 5 million worldwide followers, had vigorously fought expenses that included youngster rape, till abruptly accepting a plea deal on the eve of trial.

The La Luz del Mundo church chief pleaded responsible Friday in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom to 2 counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one rely of a lewd act upon a baby who was 15.

Prosecutors mentioned he used his non secular affect to have intercourse with a number of feminine followers and was aided by others within the church who facilitated the abuse.

Church youth group chief Alondra Ocampo, who beforehand pleaded responsible to abusing the ladies, was charged with directing teenage ladies in skimpy outfits to carry out “flirty” dances for García.

She additionally carried out nude picture shoots for García by which the ladies touched one another, based on the fees.

Ocampo advised ladies that in the event that they rebuffed the needs and needs of “the apostle,” they have been going in opposition to God, based on the fees.

García advised the ladies after they danced for him {that a} king may have mistresses and that “an apostle of God can by no means be judged for his actions,” based on the fees in opposition to him.

Ocampo was ready to testify in opposition to him, her legal professional Fred Thiagarajah mentioned.

“She actively recruited and groomed ladies for him,” Thiagarajah mentioned. “She would goal ladies and produce them into his internal fold. She was tasked with sexualizing these ladies and facilitating their abuse.”

García had been scheduled to go on trial Monday on 19 counts that additionally included allegations of human trafficking to provide youngster pornography.

READ MORE: Mexican megachurch chief pleads responsible in LA to sexually abusing 3 ladies, state prosecutors say

A decide had thrown out 4 counts of extortion and sentencing enhancements for nice bodily harm for lack of proof.

One other feminine co-defendant who was a member of the church, Susana Medina Oaxaca, 27, pleaded responsible Friday to assault prone to trigger nice bodily harm, a misdemeanor.

Protection attorneys had mentioned prosecutors have been working beneath a far-fetched authorized principle that García used non secular coercion for sexual pleasure.

“It’s a fantasy seemingly invented out of complete fabric,” protection legal professional Alan Jackson wrote in a courtroom submitting.

However prosecutors mentioned the victims have been basically brainwashed by García and felt they might be ostracized by the insular church neighborhood in the event that they did not undergo his needs.

In denying a protection movement to dismiss the case, a decide mentioned García used faith as “invisible handcuffs” to use his victims.

García’s grandfather based the Guadalajara-based fundamentalist Christian church – identified by its English title, The Mild of the World – in 1926.

García took over as “apostle” after his father, Samuel Joaquín Flores, died in 2014.

Flores was additionally the topic of kid intercourse abuse allegations in 1997, however authorities in Mexico by no means filed felony expenses.

The church has tried to domesticate a law-abiding, hard-working picture in Mexico – the place it counts about 1.8 million followers. Its male members favor fits and brief hair, and feminine members put on veils that cowl their hair and modest attire.

There are about 1 million U.S. members.

The video within the media participant is from a earlier story