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A28 u.s. news
Diahuebs 9 Juni 2022

Mexican megachurch leader faces more than 16 years in prison

By BRIAN MELLEY also conducted nude photo
Associated Press shoots for García in which
LOS ANGELES (AP) — the girls touched each other,
The leader of a Mexican according to the charges.
megachurch faces more Ocampo told girls that if they
than 16 years in a Califor- rebuffed the wishes and de-
nia prison when sentenced sires of “the apostle,” they
Wednesday for sexually were going against God, ac-
abusing three girls who cording to the charges.
were followers. García told the girls after
they danced for him that a
Naasón Joaquín García, 53, king could have mistresses
who is considered the “apos- and that “an apostle of God
tle” of Jesus Christ by his 5 can never be judged for his
million worldwide follow- actions,” according to the
ers, had vigorously fought charges against him.
charges that included child Ocampo was prepared to tes-
rape, until abruptly accepting tify against him, her attorney
a plea deal on the eve of trial. Fred Thiagarajah said.
The La Luz del Mundo “She actively recruited and
church leader pleaded guilty groomed girls for him,”
Friday in Los Angeles Su- Thiagarajah said. “She would
perior Court to two counts target girls and bring them
of forcible oral copulation into his inner fold. She was
involving minors and one tasked with sexualizing these aca, 27, pleaded guilty Friday the insular church commu- Flores was also the subject
count of a lewd act upon a girls and facilitating their to assault likely to cause great nity if they didn’t submit to of child sex abuse allegations
child who was 15. abuse.” bodily injury, a misdemeanor. his desires. In denying a de- in 1997, but authorities in
Prosecutors said he used his García had been scheduled Defense lawyers had said fense motion to dismiss the Mexico never filed criminal
spiritual influence to have sex to go on trial Monday on 19 prosecutors were operating case, a judge said García used charges.
with several female followers counts that also included alle- under a far-fetched legal the- religion as “invisible hand- The church has tried to cul-
and was aided by others in gations of human trafficking ory that García used spiritual cuffs” to exploit his victims. tivate a law-abiding, hard-
the church who facilitated to produce child pornogra- coercion for sexual pleasure. García’s grandfather found- working image in Mexico
the abuse. phy. A judge had thrown out “It is a fantasy seemingly in- ed the Guadalajara-based — where it counts about 1.8
Church youth group leader four counts of extortion and vented out of whole cloth,” fundamentalist Christian million followers. Its male
Alondra Ocampo, who previ- sentencing enhancements for defense attorney Alan Jack- church — known by its Eng- members favor suits and
ously pleaded guilty to abus- great bodily injury for lack of son wrote in a court filing. lish name, The Light of the short hair, and female mem-
ing the girls, was charged evidence. But prosecutors said the vic- World — in 1926. bers wear veils that cover
with directing teenage girls Another female co-defendant tims were essentially brain- García took over as “apos- their hair and modest dress-
in skimpy outfits to perform who was a member of the washed by García and felt tle” after his father, Samuel es. There are about 1 million
“flirty” dances for García. She church, Susana Medina Oax- they would be ostracized by Joaquín Flores, died in 2014. U.S. members.

Happy together: Orphaned turtles and kids who set them free

By WAYNE PARRY had been raised from eggs from the eggs of their dead Salvatore Volpe drove into the turtles is determined by their
Associated Press retrieved from the smashed mothers or were themselves Institute’s parking lot with a temperature as eggs, Fergu-
STONE HARBOR, N.J. bodies of mothers killed on rescued from roads, storm bleeding turtle on the floor of son said).
(AP) — The circle of roads were released back into drains or other dangerous his car. He had been driving Stockton also incubates eggs
life was on vivid display the wild by a class of kinder- places over the years. on the road that passes the fa- and cares for the turtles in the
Wednesday at the Jersey gartners. “It’s a great community con- cility when he saw a car strike first year of their lives. When
Shore in a way that even It was part of a program that nection,” said Lisa Fergu- a turtle that was crossing the they have grown enough
the youngest children has saved thousands of tur- son, director of research and road, clipping the edge of it in their first year, they are
could understand. tles and returned them to the conservation at the Wetlands and sending it flying. deemed ready to be released
wild over the past 25 years. Institute, which runs the The turtle was injured, but into the wetlands surround-
Seventeen young turtles that The turtles were either raised program along with Stockton not mortally, and Volpe took ing the institute.
University and Stone Harbor it to the Wetlands Institute That’s where the kids come
schools. “It showcases how for treatment. in. Kindergartners from
conservation works, and that Volpe said he has been fasci- Stone Harbor schools get
everyone has a part to play, nated with diamondback ter- to know the turtles as they
from adults down to kinder- rapins since moving to near- grow. They give them names,
garten students.” by Wildwood Crest in 2009. draw posters of them, and
The turtle release took place “It’s a real slaughter at this even bake and sell cookies to
during a frenzied day of tur- time of year,” he said. “They raise money for turtle con-
tle activity. This is egg-laying just have no chance. I do servation.
season, and turtles come up what I can.” Wednesday morning, it was
out of the wetlands onto dry Then he was off to shoo an- time to set them free. Some
land to lay eggs, thus expos- other turtle off the road be- eagerly grasped the turtles
ing themselves not only to fore it could be struck by a from behind; others were
natural predators, but also to car. more reticent to get up close
the far more deadly threat of Aside from caring for injured and personal with squirming
motor vehicles. live turtles, the Wetlands In- turtles and squishy mud, but
“We lose 550 adult females stitute harvests eggs from each student seemed excited
each year to road kills,” Fer- females killed on the road to see the turtles paddle away
guson said of her area in the and incubates them at 30 de- into the shallow water.
southern New Jersey marsh- grees Celsius, a temperature The program releases 150 to
lands near the ocean. that will ensure they develop 200 turtles into the wild each
Moments after she spoke, as females (the sex of these year.