Body Camera Footage: Watch GPD Get Tour of Ignite Life Center Before Arresting Head Pastor's Son
Date of Footage: July 18, 2023
On July 18, 2023, Gainesville Police Department detectives John Pandak, Desiree Russano and Ranisha Johnson went to Ignite Life Center as part of the sexual abuse investigation into the church. There they arrested Christian Vargas, the son of Mark Vega, the head pastor. Vega was also a chaplain within GPD. Vargas was charged with lewd/lascivious battery and lewd/lascivious conduct against girls aged 12-14 when he was 16-18.
This was roughly two weeks after they arrested Gabriel Hemenez for molesting children at the church’s summer internship.
Soon after arriving on scene, the officers made contact with Nicole Gomez, one of the lead pastors. When asked if there was a camp going on that day, Gomez indicated that prior to the child sexual abuse coming out, they decided to turn their summer camp program into a day-only program, unlike the prior years where it was sleep-away. Gomez said there were 17 or 18 students at the camp that day, aged from 12-17.
Russano asked if they had counselors, and Gomez said they are called volunteers. She said there were a dozen volunteers and that around four or five were present at the time.
As the interview continued, Russano said, “I know that I’ve been here before,” referencing "recreation programs.” Russano then asked where exactly the camp was located, and she said it was in another building they call the “Fellowship hall.” Gomez also referenced the church’s Refugio program, which until 2024, housed unaccompanied minors through a partnership with Urban Strategies. Several Ignite Life Center members were employed with the program. Gomez said they had 19 children.
Gomez went on to give the detectives a tour around the church. Gomez referenced the church previously having a shelter with the Department of Children and Families (DCF), and she said the officers frequented it quite often. Russano responded with the affirmative.
As Gomez continued the tour, they walked past a wall promoting the Mariano Rivera Foundation, which she said used a space at the church for a mentorship program. Vega served as a chaplain for the Yankees when Rivera played. Rivera currently faces a lawsuit for allegedly covering up child sexual abuse at ILC and at his own church in New York; meanwhile Vega faces a criminal case for a count of failing to report suspected child abuse. Several victims and witnesses have spoken about Vega engaging in private meetings to conceal child sexual abuse.
Pandak asked Gomez if Rivera frequented Ignite Life Center, and she said he does come on campus sometimes. Gomez then said that Ignite Life Center has a “really good relationship” with Santa Fe High School (SFHS). Gomez said that SFHS sent students to the Mariano Rivera mentorship program.
“And who mentors?” Russano questioned.
“Uhh different people,” said Gomez, before naming one as GPD Sgt. Tony Ferrero.
As the tour continued, Pandak appeared very suspicious of a quiet room in the church with several doors, leading to a confusing interaction. When Pandak approached a door on the right, Gomez said, "That's utilized by another church—we don’t.”
“There’s another church connecting it?” Pandak asked.
“Correct,” said Gomez.
“What are all these doors? Do they go outside” Pandak asked.
“No, these are storage spaces,” said Gomez.
“Storage spaces behind all these doors?” Pandak questioned.
“Correct,” said Gomez.
“And that’s to another building,” Pandak said while facing towards a door on the left.
Gomez replied, “That’s to another–not to another building it's the same building—but it’s another space like another small sanctuary…" Gomez said it's “usually” locked, and Pandak responded, “Usually? But there’s a sanctuary back here.”
“Yeah there’s a little sanctuary,” Gomez said.
“Mind if I see the doors,” requested Pandak.
As they looked inside, Gomez said, “So you see there’s storage… This is their storage, the church’s storage.”
The detectives would go on to speak with Nicholas Bruce, who Gomez said was director of the summer camp program. Upon Vega’s guidance, Bruce conducted his own “[investigation]” into multiple child sexual abuse incidents perpetuated by Hemenez, Vega’s charging affidavit states. All the while, Hemenez was active in another church in Orlando with access to children. Bruce reportedly did not make a report to law enforcement until February 2023, despite having knowledge of four child sexual abuse victims as of December 2022, and knowledge that Vega had not reported child sexual abuse to authorities. Bruce has not been charged.
All the pastors at Ignite Life Center are mandatory reporters. A mandatory reporter's duty is not to investigate child abuse, but to report it upon reasonable suspicion.
Shortly before speaking to Bruce, the detectives had a moment alone to collect their thoughts and they all appeared suspicious of the aforementioned room, seemingly questioning if it was one of the locations where sexual abuse occurred.
“It is so confusing in how she described this room,” said Johnson
Pandak called Ignite Life Center an "absolute maze.”
“At some point they’re gonna figure out we’re looking for Christian,” said Johnson.
Eventually, Gomez returned to the room with Bruce, who told officers that some adult students of the Ignite School of Ministry also serve as volunteers at the summer program. Bruce referenced background checks and said the volunteers spend a lot of time with the kids.
When asked if Vargas was on scene, Bruce responded with the affirmative and went to get him, leading detectives to be able to speak with him alone.
When opening the door for Vargas to enter the room, Gomez triggered an alarm and said, “Sorry, that is to prevent people from leaving.”
The detectives led Vargas into the parking lot under the notion that he was going to look at photos to help with the Hemenez investigation. Once outside, Pandak appeared to change his tone, asking Vargas to come talk at the station, which he agreed. Pandak asked Vargas if he had any weapons on him, and he replied that he didn’t. Soon after this, Pandak left the scene in his vehicle.
The body camera footage that was obtained from this incident is from Pandak's point of view.
Court records show Vargas gave an interview with authorities and that it could be used as evidence against Vega at trial.
More body camera videos from the Ignite Life Center cases will be released in the future.
