Naasón Joaquín García , Leader of La Luz del Mundo Megachurch Indicted for Child Sexual Abuse Material

A significant development has emerged from Los Angeles, as the leader of the Mexico-based La Luz del Mundo megachurch, Naasón Joaquín García, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM). 

The indictment includes two serious felony counts, accusing García of both producing and possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of a 16-year-old victim.

García, 54, previously held a position as a minister for the church in Santa Ana and later assumed leadership of the church in Mexico from December 2014. 

His arrest at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in June 2019 was initially related to state-level child sexual exploitation charges. However, the recent federal indictment presents a significant escalation in the legal proceedings against him.

The indictment specifically points to incidents in which García allegedly coerced a minor, identified as "Minor Victim 1," into participating in sexually explicit conduct to create visual depictions. 

The charges further outline the possession of an iPad containing multiple videos showing the minor engaged in sexual activities, which law enforcement seized during García's arrest.

García has been held in state custody since his arrest, having previously pleaded guilty to two counts of forcible oral copulation on a minor and one count of committing a lewd act on a child in June 2022. He is currently serving a 17-year prison sentence at the California Institution for Men in Chino.

It's important to note that an indictment merely alleges the commission of a crime, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. 

However, if found guilty on both federal charges, García could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison, with a maximum sentence of 30 years for the child pornography production count, and a maximum sentence of 10 years for the child pornography possession count.

The FBI, in conjunction with the California Department of Justice's Bureau of Investigation, is actively involved in investigating this matter and bringing it to a resolution.

 

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