Naasón Joaquín García, the Mexican leader of a church facing charges of rape of minors and human trafficking, will not be tried for a procedural error.
A California appeals court panel on Tuesday ordered a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to dismiss the case against the leader of La Luz del Mundo, a megachurch based in Mexico that was accused last year of crimes such as rape of minors, other sexual acts against children and human trafficking.
The ruling of the California Second District Court of Appeals panel that ordered the judge George G. Lomeli to dismiss the amended complaint against Naasón Joaquin García It came less than a year after the 50-year-old leader of La Luz del Mundo was arrested by Los Angeles Airport police.
The appeals court ruled that because Garcia's preliminary hearing was not held in a timely manner, and that Garcia did not waive his right to have a preliminary hearing, the complaint filed against him had to be dismissed.
García was detained without bail in July last year, when a judge who ordered the information provided by the alleged victims was "very detailed" and that there was a "risk of flight" on the part of García.
García was accused of 17 crimes, including forced rape of minors, forced oral intercourse, illegal sex, extortion, conspiracy, and possession of child pornography, along with the co-defendantsLark Ocampo, 37, Susana Medina Oaxaca, 25, and Azalea Rangel Meléndez, who was still being sought by the authorities.
It was not immediately clear if the appeals court decision would affect the case against the three women.
The state Attorney General's Office alleged that the crimes occurred in southern California between June 2015 and June 2019.
Ashley Valdez, a representative of the evangelical church vehemently denied the charges against the man seen by his followers as an apostle of Jesus Christ.
With information from CBS 2.
