The leader of a Mexico-based religious group believed to have more than 1 million followers worldwide was arrested and charged in Los Angeles with crimes including lewd acts on a child, production of child pornography, forcible rape of a minor and human trafficking.
Naason Joaquin Garcia, 50, the leader of the Guadalajara-based La Luz del Mundo — The Light of the World — was charged along with three others for crimes allegedly committed in Southern California between 2015-18, according to the state Attorney General’s Office.
State prosecutors said Garcia and the co-defendants coerced victims into performing sexual acts by warning them that defying “the Apostle” is akin to defying God.
It was unclear where Garcia was taken into custody. He was arrested along with Alondra Ocampo, 36, and Susana Medina Oaxaca, 24. A fourth defendant, Azalea Rangel Melendez, remains at large.
A criminal complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court alleges that Ocampo directed minors to perform “flirty” dances for Garcia “wearing as little clothing as possible.” Ocampo also allegedly ordered various minors to “take off their clothing and touch each other sexually.”
The complaint also alleges that Garcia kissed and groped a 15-year-old girl in his office, and that he and Ocampo forcibly raped an underage girl. Garcia, Ocampo and Oaxaca also allegedly performed sex acts on an underage girl, according to the complaint.
Ocampo also allegedly instructed three underage girls to take nude photos of themselves to send to Garcia, telling them to “take photos without their underwear and with their legs open.”
It was not immediately clear when the defendants would appear in court.
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