DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Jury selection is set to begin today for an alleged cult leader in DeKalb County, who is facing charges including rape and false imprisonment. The trial was originally planned to start yesterday, but it was postponed due to a scheduling conflict, according to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office.
Eligio Bishop, also known as “Natureboy,” has been held without bond in the DeKalb County Jail since his arrest in April 2022. One of Bishop’s former cult members, who identified herself as his girlfriend, reported that he posted revenge pornography online after she left him.
According to police reports, the woman informed law enforcement that she had joined a sex cult led by her boyfriend and that he had posted explicit videos of them without her consent on social media platforms.
Further allegations of sexual and emotional abuse were later made by Bishop’s wife and another former cult member.
Bishop, who had a significant following on Instagram and YouTube under the alias “Th3 3God,” portrayed himself as the leader of the “Carbon Nation” group and projected a messianic image.
In July 2022, Bishop was indicted by a grand jury on charges of rape, false imprisonment, and three counts of prohibited electronic transmissions of sexually explicit content.
His attorney requested that Bishop be released on bond, citing his clean criminal record and minimal risk of intimidation. However, the prosecution argued against this, citing his prior deportations and criminal activities in Hawaii, suggesting that he may flee or intimidate witnesses.
A motions hearing and jury selection are scheduled to begin today, February 21, in DeKalb County Superior Court. The case has seen several developments, including the denial of bond for Bishop, a pre-trial hearing, a motion to withdraw his attorney, and the setting of a trial date for February 2024.
More updates on the case will be provided as it progresses.