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Case summary
Add info | Back to top05/01/17 Boise, Idaho
LDS Douglas R. Bowen was accused of sexual abuse in the 1970’s. Bowen arrested in 1997 for attempted sexual abuse of a Scout, Deseret News AP story 12/16/97. Registered
sex offender – Utah. Convicted of Attempted Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child in
September, 1997.
Perpetrator: Bowen, Douglas R. – Mormon
Place: Boise
Troop & Location: Boise LDS Boy Scout Troop
Years in BSA: No IV File Late 70’s Early 80’s
Timeline for Douglas Ray Bowen:
DOB: 4/1950 (SSN Issued in California)
Late 1970’s May have abused several Scouts, including two brothers, in Boise.
1982 LDS Bishop called brothers into his office and asked if they had been molested by
Bowen, which at least one brother denied. Bowen was allegedly kicked out of LDS ward in
Boise and rumored to have moved to Oregon and was possibly working for the Ore-lda
Council.
1974
Authored Creative Campfires, which was published by Thorne Printing Co., Inc. in Nampa, Idaho. The book is “Dedicated to the hundreds of Scouts of the Cache
Valley, Redwood Area, and Ore-lda Councils who provided the inspiration for this
book by coming to summer camp and responding so enthusiastically to the campfire
programs.” Book is currently recommended on various Troop websites and is
available in Scout Shops and Scout-related sites on the web.
March 1987
Had a RO. Box in Price, Utah.
1987-1990
Lived in Buena Park, California and Los Angeles, California. (No court records in
Orange County or Los Angeles County.)
1990 – Present
St. George, Utah.
Fall 1997
Arrested and Convicted of Attempted Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child, Iron
County, Utah. The victim was a Scout and the abuse occurred on or about March 7,
1997 on a scouting excursion. Spent six months in the Iron County Jail and then
placed on two years of probation. Released from probation in 1999. Was a
registered sex offender, but no longer registered.
Current
Mormon. Married and lives in St. George, Utah. Has three to four children, ages 21
to 30 years old. Has at least one grandson who was born in July 2011 .
The following case was filed on May 1, 2017 and it alleges that two plaintiffs (John doe XXI
and John DOE XXII) were abused by BOWEN.
JOHN DOE XX, JOHN DOE XXI, JOHN DOE XXII, SHANE JULIAN, and RILEY GILROY,
Plaintiffs, v. BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, a congressionally chartered corporation
authorized to do business in Idaho; CORPORATION OF THE PRESIDING BISHOP OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, a foreign
corporation sole registered to do business in Idaho; and CORPORATION OF THE
PRESIDENT OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS AND
SUCCESSORS, a foreign corporation registered to do business in Idaho,
Defendants.
“ALLEGATIONS SPECIFIC TO JOHN DOE XXI
17.
Plaintiff John Doe XXI realleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs 1 -16.
18.
John Doe XXI was born in 1963.
At all times relevant to this Complaint, John Doe XXI was a child involved in Scouting, in
Scout Troop 20, by the LDS Defendants Boise Fifth Ward. John Doe XXI was under the
care, custody, protection, and/or responsibility of each Defendant during the time he was
involved in Scouting.
20.
One of leaders of Scout Troop 20 was Doug Bowen. In or around approximately 1 974 or
1975, Bowen sexually abused John Doe XXI during a Scout camping event, by kissing and
fondling him, engaging in masturbation, and engaging in other acts of sexual and emotional
abuse.
21.
As a Scout leader for Troop 20, Bowen abused at least two other Scouts, in addition to John
Doe XXII, and attempted to abuse at least one other Scout, in the troop.
At all times relevant to this Complaint, John Doe XXI was a child involved in Scouting, in
Scout Troop 20, by the LDS Defendants Boise Fifth Ward. John Doe XXI was under the
care, custody, protection, and/or responsibility of each Defendant during the time he was
involved in Scouting.
20.
One of leaders of Scout Troop 20 was Doug Bowen. In or around approximately 1 974 or
1975, Bowen sexually abused John Doe XXI during a Scout camping event, by kissing and
fondling him, engaging in masturbation, and engaging in other acts of sexual and emotional
abuse.
21.
As a Scout leader for Troop 20, Bowen abused at least two other Scouts, in addition to John
Doe XXII, and attempted to abuse at least one other Scout, in the troop.
ALLEGATIONS SPECIFIC TO JOHN DOE XXII
22.
Plaintiff John Doe XXII re-alleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs 1 -21 .
23.
John Doe XXII was born in 1963.
24.
At all times relevant to this Complaint, John Doe XXII was a child involved in Scouting, in
Scout Troop 20, by the LDS Defendants Boise Fifth Ward. John Doe XXII was under the
care, custody, protection, and/or responsibility of each Defendant during the time he was
involved in Scouting.
Ill
Case 1 :17-cv-00184-CWD Document 1 Filed 05/01/17 Page 7 of 24
Page 8 COMPLAINT
25.
One of leaders of Scout Troop 20 was Doug Bowen. In or around approximately 1 974 or
1975, Bowen sexually abused John Doe XXII during a Scout camping event, by kissing and
fondling him multiple times, and engaging in other acts of sexual and emotional abuse.
26.
As a Scout leader for Troop 20, Bowen abused at least two other Scouts, in addition to John
Doe XXI, and attempted to abuse at least one other Scout, in the troop.
62.
Within the past three years Plaintiffs discovered and continue to discover that, throughout
the time they were involved in the Scouting program and until at least 2010, Defendants
perpetrated a fraud related to the dangers of Scout leaders sexually abusing children in the
Scouting program. Prior to each Plaintiff’s discovery of Defendants’ fraud, each Plaintiff did
not know and could not know that Defendants’ misrepresentations, or lack thereof,
regarding the trustworthiness of Scout leaders and the safety of the Scouting program were
false, and that Defendants knew the Scouting program was structured in such a way that
sexual abuse of Scouts by Scout leaders was certain to occur to some degree within the
Scouting program.”
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Sources
LDS/Mormon church membership history
Add info | Back to topLDS mission information
The accused did not serve a full-time LDS mission.
LDS temple marriage information
FLOODLIT is not aware whether the accused was married in a Mormon temple.
Alleged victim(s)
Add info | Back to top- Number of alleged victim(s) - note if approximate:
- Average age of alleged victim(s) at time of alleged crime(s):
LDS church response(s)
Add info | Back to top- Alleged failure to report by local LDS leaders? no
- Alleged misconduct by local LDS leaders? no
- Alleged misconduct by global LDS leaders? no
FLOODLIT is not aware whether the Mormon church paid any settlement amounts related to this case.
