An unsealed indictment accused García of using his position as head of La Luz del Mundo (The Light of the World) church to sexually abuse children and women.
— Mexican megachurch leader Naasón Joaquín García pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to sex trafficking charges during his first appearance in a New York federal court, where he is charged along with his 79-year-old mother with sexually abusing generations of young followers.
Two weeks ago, an unsealed indictment in Manhattan accused García, 56, of Los Angeles, of using his position as head of La Luz del Mundo (The Light of the World) church to sexually abuse children and women. The indictment said his father and grandfather, both deceased, did the same before him.
At a hearing before Judge Loretta A. Preska, García listened to a Spanish translator through headphones and sometimes spoke English.
After García pleaded not guilty, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Espinosa said there was an enormous amount of electronic evidence in the case, including evidence from a 2019 California state prosecution that led to a prison sentence of more than 16 years, which García is currently serving.
