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LOS ANGELES, CA — More than 16 years in a California jail for sexually abusing young female members of La Luz del Mundo, the Mexican megachurch, was sentenced on Wednesday.

A sudden guilty plea by 53-year-old Naasón Garcia on the eve of a long-awaited trial in Los Angeles Superior Court last week led to the dismissal of the charges against him.

Authorities claim that Garcia, who is revered by millions as an “apostle” of Jesus Christ, abused his position of spiritual authority to engage in sexual relations with underage girls and women, promising them redemption if they consented to the relationship or damnation if they refused.

In the name of religion, “I never cease to be amazed at what people do in the name of religion and how many lives are ruined in the guise of a supreme being,” said Judge Ronald Coen, who called García a sexual predator.

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It took nearly three hours of emotionally charged statements from five young ladies before the sentence was handed down Accused: Garcia was accused of sexually molesting someone. In the past, they had been his most steadfast allies and trusted confidantes alike. He was dubbed a “monster,” “disgusting human garbage,” and the “antichrist” in court, despite the fact that he was never charged.

“I worshipped my abuser,” said a woman identified as Jane Doe 4 and said she was his niece. “He used me over and over again like a sacrificial lamb taken to slaughter.”

In his orange jail scrubs and surgical mask tucked beneath his spectacles, Garcia didn’t turn to face the two females who were speaking to him. He sat up straight, his hands tied to his waist, and listened to a Spanish interpreter through earphones as the proceedings unfolded.

It was on Friday that Garci’a pleaded guilty to two counts of forcible oral copulation with juveniles and one count of indecent behavior on a 15-year-old child For their cooperation, prosecutors agreed to dismiss 16 charges, including rape and human trafficking charges related to the production of child pornography.

In their objection to the plea deal, the victims claimed to only learn of the agreement after it was finalized, and that they had no say in the process. In response to their pleas, Coen stated that he was constrained by the terms of the agreement.

he informed the wailing Jane Does and their supporters, “the world has heard you.” “I’ll be there for you.”

Church officials say Garcia pled guilty because he didn’t believe he’d be treated fairly in court after the prosecution withheld or doctored evidence. The deal would speed up his release.

This accord is “the greatest path forward for the church and his family,” the church said. “The Apostle of Jesus Christ has had no choice but to accept with profound grief.” There was no doubt about it:

In 1926, Garcia’s grandpa formed a conservative Christian church in Guadalajara, Mexico. After the death of his father, Samuel Joaqun Flores, Garca assumed the role of “apostle.”

In 1997, Flores was accused of child sex abuse, but no criminal charges were brought against her by Mexican authorities.

When asked about the victims’ courage in standing up to Garcia and his supporters, Supervising Deputy Attorney General Patricia Fusco broke down in tears. She said that their bravery saved the lives of others.

In their eyes, he was trustworthy. Of the victims, “They thought he was virtually God on Earth,” Fusco added. “Of course, we understand he is not God. The distance is incomparably greater. A child molester has the support of those who believe in him as God.

Garcia’s victims were groomed and abused by others in the church who helped him. On Wednesday, two women who had pleaded guilty to similar offenses were not sentenced.

After first being excited to be included in Garcia’s inner circle, the victims’ joy swiftly turned into an unbearable nightmare of rape and other forms of sexual abuse, which they detailed in graphic detail at times.

Angels had appeared to them, telling them that they belonged to Garca and that his requests were divine mandates to be obeyed without question. The Bible scriptures were manipulated to fit the bill.

However, they were also told that they, as well as anybody they told, would be damned if they spoke out.

For the women, church life had been their entire existence from birth. They prayed and sung to Garca three times a day.

Prosecutors had argued that Garca utilized spiritual coercion for sexual pleasure, a far-fetched legal notion.

“It is a fantasy seemingly invented out of whole cloth,” defense attorney Alan Jackson wrote in a court filing.

Although Garcia was believed to have “brainwashed” the victims, prosecutors claimed that they were afraid of being exiled from the insular church group if they didn’t follow his orders. Garca used religion as “invisible handcuffs” to abuse his victims, a judge said in refusing a defense move for dismissal.

It was a lonely and harrowing experience when some of his supporters finally turned against him. Some members of their own family doubted them.

According to Jane Doe 2, who cried throughout her statement, “being labelled an apostate was the worst of the worst and you’d go to hell no matter what.”

They claimed they had been humiliated and degraded by being referred to as sluts and prostitutes. Threats were made to their families.

One woman claimed to have contemplated suicide, while another claimed to have attempted suicide multiple times. Garca was blamed for ruining their life by everyone.

Jane Doe 3 said her mother took her to church on the day of Garcia’s arrest three years ago to join other mourners and pray for him.

That’s why I didn’t shed a tear. When I stood there, it broke me,” she stated, sobbing. It was hard not to feel betrayed because of what had transpired.

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