{"id":460300,"date":"2022-06-10T01:12:15","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T22:12:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/leader-of-mexican-megachurch-jailed-for-child-sex-slaves\/"},"modified":"2022-06-10T01:12:15","modified_gmt":"2022-06-09T22:12:15","slug":"leader-of-mexican-megachurch-jailed-for-child-sex-slaves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/leader-of-mexican-megachurch-jailed-for-child-sex-slaves\/","title":{"rendered":"#Leader of Mexican megachurch jailed for child sex slaves"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a25e7a28b55f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a25e7a28b55f\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/leader-of-mexican-megachurch-jailed-for-child-sex-slaves\/#%E2%80%9CLeader_of_Mexican_megachurch_jailed_for_child_sex_slaves%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Leader of Mexican megachurch jailed for child sex slaves&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CLeader_of_Mexican_megachurch_jailed_for_child_sex_slaves%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Leader of Mexican megachurch jailed for child sex slaves&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>The leader of a Mexico-based megachurch with millions of followers has been sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison for abusing young devotees who said they were forced to be his sex slaves.<\/p>\n<p>Naas\u00f3n Joaqu\u00edn Garc\u00eda, the self-styled \u201capostle\u201d who leads La Luz del Mundo, or the Light of the World, was sentenced Wednesday after unexpectedly pleading guilty last week to three felonies in Los Angeles Superior Court.<\/p>\n<p>He was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison following nearly three hours of harrowing victim-impact statements by five young women he was charged with abusing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI worshipped my abuser,\u201d said one, identified only as Jane Doe 4, who said she was his niece.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe used me over and over again like a sacrificial lamb taken to slaughter,\u201d she said, with others calling him \u201cevil,\u201d a \u201cmonster\u201d and the \u201cantichrist.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another, Jane Doe No. 3, choked back sobs as she said, \u201cWe looked up to you, you were our god, and you betrayed us. You are no more than a predator and an abuser.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-5-1.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Aerial picture of the international headquarters of the Church 'La Luz Del Mundo' (Light of the World) in Guadalajara, Jalisco State, Mexico.\" class=\"wp-image-22600592\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-5-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-5-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-5-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>The headquarters of the Church La Luz Del Mundo is located in Guadalajara, Jalisco State, Mexico. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">ULISES RUIZ\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Garc\u00eda took over as \u201capostle\u201d of the Guadalajara-based fundamentalist Christian church after the 2014 death of his father, who had also faced child-abuse allegations. The church, founded in 1926 by Garc\u00eda\u2019s grandfather, claims at least 5 million followers worldwide.<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors said he used his spiritual sway to have sex with girls who were told it would lead to their salvation \u2014 or damnation if they refused.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey trusted him. They thought he was basically God on Earth,\u201d supervising deputy attorney <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a> Patricia Fusco told the court.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-1.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Naas\u00f3n Joaqu\u00edn Garc\u00eda\" class=\"wp-image-22600593\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Naas\u00f3n Joaqu\u00edn Garc\u00eda sits during his sentencing in Los Angeles County Superior Court on June 8.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Carolyn Cole\/Los Angeles Times\/AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWe know, of course, he\u2019s not God. Not even close. \u2026 Anyone who still believes he\u2019s God is complicit and they\u2019re supporting a child molester.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Two women who have pleaded guilty to related charges were not sentenced Wednesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Garc\u00eda pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act upon a child who was 15.<\/p>\n<p>In exchange, prosecutors dropped 16 counts that included allegations of raping children and women, as well as human trafficking to produce child pornography.<\/p>\n<p>The victims objected to Garc\u00eda\u2019s plea deal, saying they were not consulted. They begged for a stiffer sentence.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe world has heard you,\u201d Judge Ronald Coen told the weeping Jane Does and their supporters. \u201cI promise you that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI never cease to be amazed at what people do in the name of religion and how many lives are ruined in the guise of a supreme being,\u201d added the judge, who called Garc\u00eda a sexual predator.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the guilty plea, Garc\u00eda\u2019s church insisted its \u201cconfidence in him remains intact.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-4-1.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Churchgoers participate in baptism day at 'La Luz Del Mundo' Church.\" class=\"wp-image-22600591\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-4-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-4-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-4-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Churchgoers participate in baptism day at La Luz Del Mundo Church.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">ULISES RUIZ\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-3-1.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"A sign reads &quot;innocent&quot; outside of the La Luz del Mundo church in Guadalajara, Mexico. \" class=\"wp-image-22600587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-3-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-3-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-3-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>A sign reads \u201cinocente,\u201d or \u201cinnocent,\u201d outside of the La Luz del Mundo church in Guadalajara, Mexico. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Francisco Guasco\/EPA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iglesialldm\/status\/1534665975957639169\/photo\/1\">statement posted to Twitter,<\/a> the church said that he only accepted a plea deal because he knew he would not get a fair trial after evidence had been \u201csuppressed, withheld, doctored and altered.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe 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,\u201d the church said.<\/p>\n<p>During their impact statements, some of the girls said that being turned on by the church had been one of the most painful parts of coming forward. Some of their own family members didn\u2019t believe them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBeing called an apostate was the worst of the worst and you would go to hell no matter what,\u201d said Jane Doe 2, who cried throughout her statement.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-2-1.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Former leader of the Church of the Light of the World, Naason Joaquin Garcia, walking among his parishioners.\" class=\"wp-image-22600585\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-2-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-2-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-2-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Former church leader Naas\u00f3n Joaqu\u00edn Garc\u00eda unexpectedly plead guilty to three felony charges last week.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">ULISES RUIZ\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>They were humiliated and shamed, called sluts and whores, they said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>One woman said she had suicidal thoughts and another said she tried to kill herself several times. They all said Garc\u00eda had ruined their lives.<\/p>\n<p>On the day Garcia was <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>rehended three years ago, Jane Doe 3 said her mother took her to church to join other worshippers who were crying as they prayed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI knew those tears were not for me. It broke me to stand there,\u201d she said as she wept. \u201cI couldn\u2019t help but feel betrayed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>With Post wires<\/em>\n                        <\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/06\/09\/leader-of-mexican-megachurch-jailed-for-child-sex-slaves\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Leader of Mexican megachurch jailed for child sex slaves&#8221; The leader of a Mexico-based megachurch with millions of followers has been sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison for abusing young devotees who said they were forced to be his sex slaves. Naas\u00f3n Joaqu\u00edn Garc\u00eda, the self-styled \u201capostle\u201d who leads La Luz del Mundo, or&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":460301,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/06\/naason-joaquin-garcia-mexican-church-comp.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[130112,5562,70504,73261,70675,90717],"class_list":["post-460300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-6-9-22","tag-churches","tag-mexico","tag-pedophiles","tag-sexual-abuse","tag-sexual-predators"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=460300"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460300\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/460301"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=460300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=460300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=460300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}