GPD Detective Presses Charges Against Former GPD Chaplain for Covering Up Child Sexual Abuse
On August 13, 2025, Gainesville Police Department (GPD) Detective Desiree Russano filed a sworn complaint against Ignite Life Center (ILC) head pastor Mark Vega for failing to report suspected child abuse.
Since July 2023, three people from ILC have been arrested for child sexual abuse: former volunteer Gabriel Hemenez, Vega’s son Christian Vargas, and former associate pastor Jose Cruz’s son, Noel Cruz.
Vega formally served as the chaplain of GPD until the sex abuse cases came out, GPD Capt. Paris Owens told GnvInfo in a prior interview.
As of now, Vega is still at large, as no warrant for arrest has been issued and the State Attorney’s Office has not moved to file the charge.
Russano reports that Vega “knowingly and willfully failed to report known and suspected child abuse and child sex abuse to the central abuse hotline. [Vega] engaged in behavior that demonstrated a desire to prevent others from reporting known and suspected child abuse to the central abuse hotline and/or authorities.”
Some incidents involve the Ignite School of Ministry (ISM), which was marketed as a ministerial college that housed students who were minors and adults together. For example, Hemenez was in his mid- to late 20s when he was an ISM student, while other students were of high school age. Kids as young as 16 would be in the same class as full-grown adults.
Even more incidents involve the Ignite Summer Internship (ISI), which housed kids aged 9-12 for two weeks and 12-18 for four weeks, Russano reports. Hemenez took advantage of being an ISI volunteer to sleep in the same room with the younger boys.
Kentucky Bus Ride Coverup:
According to the report, in late 2019, students of ISM were on a bus traveling back to Gainesville from a work trip to Kentucky. While on the bus, the 22-year-old male victim (Vic 1) grew tired and looked for space on the bus to sleep. Hemenez offered to lay pillows on his lap for the victim to lay his head. Vic 1 agreed but woke up horrified to find Hemenez masturbating his penis without his consent.
After the bus arrived back in Gainesville, Vic 1 told ILC leaders, including his uncle, Vega, and his cousin, ILC pastor Nick Bruce, along with ILC pastor Esther Omeben.
Vega and pastoral staff had several meetings about the incident, at least one of which Vic 1 attended, while he was left out of others.
At the meeting Vic 1 attended, Hemenez was also present. Vic 1 said the sexual contact wasn’t consensual, while Hemenez claimed it was, Russano reports. Vic 1 later learned in a different meeting where he was absent that church leaders doubted him because he had a history of violence but didn’t react with violence when Hemenez sexually assaulted him.
Vic 1 eventually left ISM, while Hemenez was permitted to stay in the church.
In 2020, ILC conducted most of their activities online due to COVID, including ISI. During online ISI, Hemenez was a “mentor” to three boys before he returned to working for ILC in person in 2021, the report states.
Years later, when Hemenez was arrested in 2023, he told detectives that he eventually admitted to church leadership that what he did to Vic 1 was not consensual. Hemenez recalled that in the aftermath of the Kentucky bus ride, Vega told him he was “not giving up on him,” referring to the sexual assault as a “bump in the road.” Hemenez recalled that church leadership placed him on “probation.”
Hemenez Child Molestation Coverup:
During the summer of 2021, ISI was back in full swing as an in-person sleep-away camp.
ISI students slept in bunk rooms with one or two adult volunteers. Vega permitted Hemenez to sleep in the same room as the boys despite the fact he was accused of sexually assaulting Vic 1 just two years prior.
“Emboldened by the church leadership,” Russano stated, Hemenez sexually assaulted a 16-year-old family member (Vic 2) of Vega and Bruce in broad daylight.
In October 2022, Vic 2 told Bruce about the incident. By that time, Hemenez wasn’t an active member of ILC; however, Vic 2 was aware he was involved with a church in Orlando and had access to children. Vic 2 asked Bruce for help with reporting Hemenez to the police. Bruce, with knowledge of Hemenez’s prior sexual assault of Vic 1, went to tell Vega instead of immediately reporting Hemenez to the police, allowing him to have further contact with children in Orlando.
Russano reported that she had a conversation with Bruce as part of her investigation in 2025. Bruce told her the "same day" Vic 2 told him Hemenez sexually assaulted him, he "went to" Vega and told him what Vic 2 told him. Bruce recalled that Vega assured him he would report Hemenez to the authorities.
According to Russano, "Nicholas trusted [Vega] and believed that [he] would properly handle the reporting. Nicholas, unfortunately, was wrong.”
In December 2022, Vic 2 called Bruce expressing concern over not getting a follow-up on his report and that Hemenez still had access to children. During this same phone call, Vic 2 told Bruce that he learned three other boys (Vic 3, Vic 4 and Vic 5) were victims of Hemenez. At this point, Bruce is now aware of five victims of Hemenez’s sexual abuse, all but one of whom are minors, and instead of reporting the matter to police, he phones Vega again.
Citing her 2025 interview with Bruce, Russano reports:
“Nicholas Bruce tells [me] that as soon as his conversation with [Vic 2] ended, he ‘immediately’ called [Vega] to report the new information... During this phone [conversation], Nicholas learns that [Vega] never reported Hemenez to authorities after their October 2022 conversation despite the fact that [Vega] assured Nicholas that he would do just that. [Vega] tells Nicholas that he will meet with [him] to discuss how to handle this new information when [he] returns from New York. Nicholas Bruce's own words to [me] in 2025 were that [he] didn't ‘understand why it took so long [for Vega] to get something submitted’ to authorities regarding the sexual abuse of children by Hemenez. When Nicholas returns to Gainesville, he eventually meets with [Vega], who still has not reported any of the child abuse described herein to authorities. [Vega] tells Nicholas that [he] can ‘investigate’ what he was told… and then [he] can make a report to authorities, as he sees fit. Nicholas interviews [Vic 3, Vic 4 and Vic 5.] In February 2023, Nicholas makes a report to the Gainesville Police Department naming Hemenez as an offender and requesting law enforcement speak to [Vic 2] and suggesting that they speak to [Vic 3, Vic 4 and Vic 5].”
By the time Bruce reported Hemenez, he was still involved with an Orlando church with unrestricted access to children, Russano reports.
Hemenez was finally arrested one month after Bruce submitted his delayed report following his “investigation,” which he conducted upon Vega’s guidance.
According to the report, Vic 2’s mental health declined significantly, because while Hemenez would be convicted of sexually abusing multiple other victims, he would not be convicted for his crime against Vic 2 due to the statute of limitations.
Russano reports, “Nicholas Bruce said about [Vega], who he still works for, still respects immensely, and whose home he still resides in… ‘I wish [Vega] would have handled this when he first found out.’”
In March 2025, Russano filed a sworn complaint against Hemenez for yet another boy (Vic 6), who he sexually abused during ISI 2021. Russano refers back to her interview with Hemenez from earlier this year, stating:
“In what could only be seen as a complete disregard for the safety and well-being of the boys of the on-site Summer Internship, Hemenez tells [me] in 2025 that although ‘sometimes’ there may have been 2 ‘leaders’ in the boys bunk, routinely it was Hemenez, and Hemenez alone, left alone in a room of approximately 25 to 30 sleeping boys.”
According to the report, Hemenez would sneak his victims' vapes as part of the grooming process.
Vargas Coverup:
Russano’s report states that in early 2021, prior to ISI, a 13-year-old girl (Vic 7) began receiving pressure from a 17-year-old Vargas to engage in sex. Vic 7 felt uncomfortable, but Vargas was in a power position over her as the son of Vega and an older guy.
Vargas convinced Vic 7 to meet him in an area known as the "Furnace," where they had what Russano described as "sexual intercourse" between 2 and 3 times.
In July 2023, roughly two weeks after Hemenez’s arrest, Vargas was arrested and charged with lewd or lascivious battery against Vic 7, as well as lewd or lascivious behavior for sexually coercing a 14-year-old girl (Vic 8) when he was 17 and 18.
According to Vargas’ arrest report for Vic 7, he began sexually harassing her in 2020, when he was 16 and she was 12; however, Russano’s report describes the incidents as beginning later. Vargas’ arrest report details how Vic 7 told him “No” on at least one occasion Vargas brought her to the “Furnace.”
According to Russano, the "Furnace" is "an area located on the second floor, somewhat secluded and rarely used that was frequented by juveniles who would engage in, among other things, sexual activity."
After Vargas was arrested, he told detectives that on one occasion Vega “walked in” on him kissing a 13-year-old Vic 7.
Russano reported that the "Furnace" is likely the location where Vega walked in on Vargas and Vic 7.
Russano's report references Robert Moramarco, who gave a deposition in Vargas' case and was responsible for managing surveillance systems on Ignite property from July 2020 through October 2022.
According to the report, "Moramarco was tasked with reviewing surveillance footage on December 7, 2021, due to an unrelated matter. Moranarco has disclosed that while reviewing the surveillance video, he observed footage of Vargas physically climbing up to reach the camera(s) and point them away from the ‘Furnace.’ According to Moramarco, Vargas physically turned the camera so that it would face the wall rather than face the ‘Furnace.’ In addition to reporting this to Esther Omeben as his direct supervisor, Moramarco [also] reported this to [Vega]. From Moramarco's own observations, it does not appear that anything was done by Church Leadership or [Vega] in response to this information."
Russano also references a prior interview with Vic 8, who attended ISI in 2021. Vic 8 said Hemenez was known to sleep in the same beds with young boys.
Noel Cruz Coverup:
In June 2021, one month prior to ISI, a 15-year old girl (Vic 9) began having sex with a 17-year-old Vargas at ILC. Two months later, she would be sexually abused by Noel Cruz at ILC, as he was 20 when she was 15.
Russano describes Noel Cruz’s father, Jose Cruz, as the “Number 2” to Vega.
In November 2022, Vic 9’s parents became aware Noel Cruz and Vargas had been having sex with their daughter since she was 15.
Vic 9’s parents reached out to ILC elder-pastor Eunice Luvis, who reportedly told them they “must contact [Vega] immediately.”
Russano reports, “[Vic 9’s] parents were shocked but not surprised—anything and everything of importance must be ‘run by’ [Vega]. [Vega] was truly, in their opinion, the person who ran Ignite, and he had to be aware of and involved with anything and everything that happened at Ignite or could happen to Ignite. Accordingly, [Vic 9’s] parents contacted [Vega] and tell him what they had learned his son, Vargas, and Jose Cruz’s son, Noel Cruz, had been having sex with their youngest daughter since she was 15 years old on Ignite property and during services. The following day, [Vega] calls [Vic 9’s] father and tells him that there will be a meeting between the 3 families at [Vega’s] house and that the purpose of the meeting was ‘to scare the shit out of these guys [so] they’ll never do this again.’”
According to Russano’s report, present at the meeting were “(1) [Mark Vega], (2) [Vega’s] wife, Lisa Vega, (3) Christian Vargas, (4) [Vic 9] (5) [Vic 9’s] mother, (6) [Vic 9’s] father, (7) Jose Cruz, (8) Jose Cruz’s wife, (9) Noel Cruz, (10) Esther Omeben, [and] (11) Nicholas Bruce.” This cover-up was reported in a GPD Supplemental Report published over a year and a half ago, yet Mark Vega is only now being charged.
At the meeting, Vargas and Noel Cruz reportedly “expressed remorse and asked for forgiveness.” Mark Vega said they needed to begin the “process of restoration” to “restore” Vic 9, Vargas and Noel Cruz. Mark Vega said they were going to “forgive each other” and they were “going to be restored because we’re brothers and sisters; we’re a church.”
Russano reports, “Neither [Vic 9] nor her parents were asked how they wanted to handle the information they had received. Instead, [Mark Vega] had spoken, and they would follow his instruction."
The report states that by February or March 2023, Vargas and Noel Cruz had “pestered” and “harassed” Vic 9 for months because they believed she reported them to her parents. Vic 9’s father contacted “another senior pastor” who is not named, expressing frustration about Vargas and Noel Cruz’s harassment and that Mark Vega didn’t suggest anything about “courts.”
The unnamed senior pastor was surprised Mark Vega didn’t ask Vic 9’s parents if they wanted to involve the law. What followed was a meeting between “[Mark Vega], [Mark Vega’s] wife, Lisa Vega, Erick Godinez, Maria Godinez, Eunice Luvis, and [Vic 9’s] parents,” the report states.
Russano reports that Vic 9’s parents described the second meeting with Mark Vega as "intimidating." Mark Vega rhetorically asked Vic 9’s father if he “really wants to get authorities involved,” saying it would “ruin” the lives of Vargas and Noel Cruz. Mark Vega proceeded to blame the victim, saying Vargas and Noel Cruz were “restored,” but that Vic 9 had not been “restored.” Mark Vega then declared that Vic 9 needed help with being “restored” and would be “mentored” by two female pastors, along with himself.
During his alone time with Vic 9, Mark Vega reportedly bought her expensive sneakers. The "mentoring" ended abruptly when Mark Vega and other church leaders learned Vic 9 was cooperating with GPD.
Russano’s Conclusion:
Concluding her 12-page report against the former chaplain of her department, Russano states:
“Regardless of the title associated with [Mark Vega], whether the words ‘Head Pastor’ or ‘Senior Pastor’ are used to describe [him], the resounding conclusion is that [Mark Vega] was, and remains to this day, the single most influential authority at Ignite in Gainesville. [Mark Vega] receives, and likely expects, to be made aware of what happens in and around Ignite: the good and the bad.
It is undeniable that [MarkVega] had sufficient knowledge—in the form of reports from others and his own personal observations—that children were being sexually abused on Ignite property by Ignite personnel. No evidence exists to indicate that [Mark Vega] made any effort to report this to or involve the Gainesville Police Department. Rather, the evidence obtained shows the contrary to be true; [Mark Vega] intentionally endeavored to keep this information away from authorities. It is indisputable that [Mark Vega] failed to report known or suspected child abuse and child sexual abuse to the authorities in direct violation of Florida Statute.”
Alachua County Court Records show Bruce, Omeben, Luvis, nor any other ILC pastors are currently facing charges, only Mark Vega.
NBC News reported on Mark Vega’s case yesterday, and received comment from the Assemblies of God national leadership. NBC reports, “In a statement, the Assemblies of God’s national office said that it ‘takes matters of this nature seriously’ and that it has ‘a well-established process to address them.’ It referred questions about [Mark] Vega to the Florida Multicultural District, which it said would be responsible for any internal investigation into [Mark] Vega’s actions. The district office and Ignite Life Center did not respond to messages.”
Despite his new case, Mark Vega is still carrying on as normal, hosting weekly sermons and a recent large event at the church called "Wellness Wednesday," in addition to appearing at a "Men's Conference" on September 6 in Orlando at Calvario Church.
Edited Sep 11: Corrected date supplemental report was published from “over two years ago” to “year and a half ago.”
