LOS ANGELES (RNS) — Detractors and ex-members of La Luz del Mundo say its leader deserved a more severe punishment than the nearly 17-year sentence he received Wednesday (June 8) for sexually abusing young female followers who said he made them his sex slaves.
In court, five young women the pastor was charged with sexually abusing called Naasón Joaquín García “evil,” a “monster” and the “Antichrist.” They urged the judge to impose a longer sentence after García abruptly pleaded guilty to three felonies just before his long-awaited trial was to start.
García, 53, faced a sentence of 16 years and eight months after he pleaded guilty Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court to two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act upon a child who was 15.
La Luz del Mundo, which claims 5 million worldwide followers, was founded in 1926 by García’s grandfather, Eusebio Joaquín González. The church rejects the concept of the Trinity and teaches that Jesus is God’s son and church leaders, like García, his father and grandfather, are his apostles.
Sochil Martin, who in 2020 sued the church and a dozen of its leaders, alleging decades of abuse, urged for a tougher sentence in a news conference a day before the hearing.
“I was also a victim of Naasón,” she said. “I believe that we won’t be able to sleep or have peace unless we know that this man will be in jail all of his life.”
Outside the courthouse, former members and leaders of the church awaited news of the sentencing.
Hector Vera posted himself outside the Los Angeles Superior Court with signs on June 8, 2022, as he awaited sentencing results for Naasón Joaquín García’s case. RNS photo by Alejandra Molina
Hector Vera, a former deacon of La Luz del Mundo, called García a “false prophet” who deserves to spend the rest of his life in jail. Vera stood outside the courthouse holding signs that read “Life Sentence For Naason” and “This Is The Beginning Of The End.”
“He deserves the full weight of the law,” said Vera, who traveled from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles for the sentencing hearing.
Vera, 60, said he served as a deacon for La Luz del Mundo churches across the country, from Washington, D.C., and Kentucky to Texas and California. He said he left the church in 2003 after his ex-wife began telling him of people who worked as servants to Samuel Joaquín Flores, García’s father, who led the church until his death in 2014.
“I continue to believe in Jesus Christ and I believe in his justice. I don’t believe in men because that’s the error we committed with La Luz Del Mundo,” Vera added.
Detractors have voiced their opposition to García’s sentence on a subreddit, known as EXLLDM, an online community of former La Luz del Mundo members that has been active since about 2017.
