Three lawsuits filed in March 2024 against Ignite Life Center and Florida Multicultural District Council of the Assemblies of God were settled through a negotiated agreement.
The lawsuits stated the organizations shared responsibility for enabling and covering up sexual abuse. Plaintiffs, who were minors at the time of the alleged abuse, claimed they were sexually assaulted by a former volunteer and member, Gabriel Hemenez, at the Ignite Life Center Summer Camp in Gainesville. The lawsuits alleged both the center and the district council were negligent in their responsibility to protect the victims and failed to intervene despite knowledge of the abuse.
Attorneys for both sides resolved the three lawsuits during mediation on Oct. 7; the mediation report was filed in the Orange County circuit court about 10 days later. In response to inquiries from WUFT, the plaintiffs’ attorney, Jessica Arbour from the Horowitz Law Firm, confirmed the cases had been settled but said she was not able to disclose the terms of the agreement.
One of the criminal cases stemming from the allegations related to Ignite Life Center was adjudicated earlier this year. Hemenez agreed to a no-contest plea in front of Judge Phillip A. Pena in March for two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation on a person between 12 and 16 years old, the offender being 18 years old or older, and one count of felony battery. All counts were second-degree felonies. Hemenez was sentenced to five years in prison followed by eight years of supervised probation and lifelong registration as a sexual offender.
Besides the Hemenez case, Ignite Life Center the son of head pastors Mark and Lisa Vega, Christian Vargas, and former assistant pastor Joey Cruz’s son, Noel Cruz, are both facing charges of sexual abuse of victims between 12 and 16 years old.
Vargas and Cruz's criminal cases are in the deposition phase, according to court records. Cruz’ next court hearing is Jan. 14, 2025, and Vargas is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 3.
