Description
- Gabriel Hemenez, a former church leader, sexually abused three teenage boys during a church summer camp. The boy’s attorney says other victims have come forward who allege they were abused by other bad actors and she plans to file additional lawsuits.
- A third person charged with sexual abuse at the church stems from a GPD Special Victims Unit investigation that began on Feb. 7, 2023.
A victim reported that they were abused by Gabriel Giovani Hemenez, now 29, in July 2021 during a monthlong overnight camp called the Ignite Youth Internship.
Hemenez was a volunteer and Ignite church member from 2018-2023, and "interacted with minors on a regular basis," according to a July 2023 GPD news release announcing his arrest.
GPD reported that its investigation into Hemenez revealed that he abused several minors during the internship. Detectives traveled to Lakeland to interview Hemenez, who "confessed to inappropriately touching three minors and one adult" during his time at Ignite, the release said.
He was charged with two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation and one count of attempted sexual battery of a minor.