Naason Joaquin Garcia, a representative of an evangelical church, has been sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for molesting three minor girls.
Naason Joaquin Garcia, a self-proclaimed ambassador and head of Guadalajara’s La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World) church, testified that he coerced a minor into oral sex and sexually abused a child as part of a guilty plea. Often, to avoid allegations of more serious crimes, including rape. But some prosecutors have been accused of being too lenient for 16 years and 8 months.
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At a hearing in Los Angeles on Wednesday, the victim said in a statement that all five had lost the opportunity to completely confront Garcia. Founded in the 1920s, La Luz del Mundo is Mexico’s largest evangelical church, with branches in 50 countries and approximately 5 million members.
When a Los Angeles judge ordered a trial against Garcia in August 2020, the church issued a statement defending the leader, saying the charges were based on “groundless and anonymous allegations” and “public rumors.” One of the anonymous accusers told Garcia:
“You are just a predator and an abuser.”
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Another woman who identified herself as Garcia’s nephew said, “Narson and this church ruined my life.”
Garcia’s conviction overturned an investigation that began in 2018 and she was arrested the following year at Los Angeles International Airport and pleaded guilty to a potential assault last Friday along with co-defendant Susan Medina Oaksaka.
