- LDS positions: Bishop,
- Criminal case: Unknown,
- Civil case: No civil case,
Case report
Michael Coleman was a Mormon bishop in Arizona.
From 1983 to 2012 and in 2014, Coleman worked as a sound engineer at Orangewood Recording in Mesa, Arizona, according to a resume posted to his LinkedIn profile.
In 2014 in Mesa, Arizona, Coleman was accused of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Investigators found explicit sexual conversations with underage boys on Coleman’s computer.
Coleman was at one time the Bishop of the Lehi 2nd Ward in Mesa.
Shortly after Coleman was arrested, the Mormon church released him from his calling (position) as bishop.
FLOODLIT is looking for information on the outcome of Coleman’s case. We’re not aware whether any criminal charges resulted from Coleman’s arrest and firing.
According to a USA Today article from January 24, 2014, Eric Hawkins, a Mormon Church spokesman, said the church took immediate action against Coleman.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has zero tolerance for abuse of any kind,” Hawkins said in a prepared statement.
“Any person who engages in abuse is rightfully subject to both legal prosecution and formal church discipline. When the church became aware of these charges, Coleman was released as a bishop to allow him to attend to legal proceedings.”
Case facts
- case report | facts | photos | videos | sources
- AKA Mike Coleman
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Born: 1960
- LDS mission: Argentina - Argentina Buenos Aires South 1980-1982
- During alleged crime/failure: Bishop,
- When accused: Bishop,
- Lived in: Argentina, Arizona,
- During alleged crime, lived in: Arizona,
- When accused, lived in: Arizona,
- Victims: 2 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Online,
- Crime years: 2010s,
- Add information
Case videos
- case report | facts | photos | videos | sources
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- Video title: Former Mormon bishop accused of luring teenage boy for sex - 2014-01-23
- Video description: "A former bishop with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is accused of trying to lure a teen boy for sexual exploitation, according to the Mesa Police Department."
Case information sources
- case report | facts | photos | videos | sources
- Buenos Aires South Mission Alumni
- Former Mormon bishop accused of trying to lure teens
- Mormon Bishop Arrested in Mesa for Luring Teen Boy
- Former LDS bishop Michael Coleman arrested on count of luring minor for sexual exploitation
- Michael Coleman
Case information source details
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Buenos Aires South Mission Alumni
Publisher: Mission.net
Date: 18 Mar 2024
Archive.org
Source type: WebsiteColeman, Michael 1980-1982
E-Mail: mikcole@uswest.net
Home Page: http://www.users.uswest.net/~mikcole
La Plata, Beriso, Bolivar, Los Hornos, Sarandi, Quilmes -
view all information sources Former Mormon bishop accused of trying to lure teens
Publisher: USA Today
Date: 24 Jan 2014
Archive.org
Source type: News articleMESA, Ariz. — Technology made it possible for a man to abuse teenage victims thousands of miles away, but it also left a digital trail that eventually resulted in his arrest, police said.
Michael Wayne Coleman, 53, was arrested Jan. 16 and accused of luring a minor for sexual exploitation after a forensic examination of a laptop computer and cellphone uncovered sexually graphic conversations and an exchange of nude photographs with a 17-year-old student in Brazil, said Detective Steve Berry, a Mesa police spokesman.
Police praised Educatius International, a company that primarily arranges for foreign-exchange students to study in the United States, for seizing a company-issued laptop and cellphone from Coleman immediately after it received a complaint from a 16-year-old student.
The teenage boy complained that Coleman, then a regional manager for the company, "asked for a hug and kiss during a Facebook chat session," according to court documents. The comment made the student feel "very uncomfortable."
He reported it to his host family, which contacted Educatius.
A top company official flew to Arizona, seized the electronic devices from Coleman on Oct. 30 and suspended him, said David Leibowitz, a company spokesman. He said Educatius fired Coleman after a review of the devices turned up inappropriate communications.
"When you are a business where you work with students, you work with minors, that's a responsibility you take very seriously,'' Leibowitz said. "The police investigation was initiated by Educatius making the report.''
The police investigation began Nov. 2, and Berry said the forensic analysis was time-consuming as detectives traced digital conversations.
Coleman was a Mormon bishop when the investigation started but has since been relieved of that post, Berry said.
"We've all got smartphones, laptops and tablets. The Internet can make a very large world very small," he said.
Police are concerned about the possibility of additional victims because of Coleman's access to minors through his work and through the church, but Coleman has not been accused of any additional crimes.
"The company certainly acted swiftly. Not only was he suspended, but his cellphone and computer were seized immediately," Berry said, potentially preserving vital evidence. "The action they took could certainly stop harm from happening to other juveniles."
Eric Hawkins, a Mormon Church spokesman, said the church took immediate action against Coleman.
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has zero tolerance for abuse of any kind," Hawkins said in a prepared statement.
"Any person who engages in abuse is rightfully subject to both legal prosecution and formal church discipline. When the church became aware of these charges, Coleman was released as a bishop to allow him to attend to legal proceedings."
Technology only makes these connections easier, whether it's e-mail, pornographic images or, in this case, using a laptop to Skype, Berry said. Detectives examining the laptop found Skype names and were able to learn in January that Coleman was corresponding with another 17-year-old boy in Brazil. The luring charge stems from those discussions.
Coleman mentioned during the conversations how their relationship "would reflect negatively on his church and his family," according to the court document. He discussed leaving his family and going to Brazil or having the boy live in his house as a foreign-exchange student.
"During the sexually graphic conversations, it appeared the student and Coleman exchanged nude photographs with each other," the document said. "Coleman also discussed his fear of being caught and the possibility of going to prison."
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view all information sources Mormon Bishop Arrested in Mesa for Luring Teen Boy
Publisher: Bishop Accountability [archived from My Fox Phoenix]
Date: 4 Feb 2014
Archive.org
Source type: News articleMESA, Ariz. - Mesa Police have arrested a 53 year-old Mormon Bishop for allegedly trying to lure a 16 year-old boy on Facebook.
Authorities arrested Michael Wayne Coleman on January 6th when a representative from Educatius International contacted Mesa Police about the concern.
Coleman allegedly made comments about getting a hug and kiss from the student on the social media website.
Educatius International suspended Coleman and seized his computer and cell phone as evidence for the police. Detectives obtained a warrant and found explicit conversations with a 17 year-old male on the internet.
Detectives say that Coleman acknowledge the conversations but did not admit to the sexual conduct, he then requested an attorney.
Investigators say that Coleman was a Bishop of the Lehi 2nd Ward, they have been informed he was removed from his position in the church.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spokesperson Eric Hawkins released this statement:
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has zero tolerance for abuse of any kind. Any person who engages in abuse is rightfully subject to both legal prosecution and formal church discipline. When these allegations surfaced, Coleman was released as a bishop to allow him to attend to legal proceedings. We are supportive of the efforts of authorities to ensure this situation is addressed appropriately."
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view all information sources Former LDS bishop Michael Coleman arrested on count of luring minor for sexual exploitation
Publisher: East Valley Tribune (Tempe, Arizona)
Date: 24 Jan 2014
Archive.org
Source type: News articleA former LDS bishop was arrested on a class 3 felony count of allegedly luring a minor for sexual exploitation, according to Mesa police.
Michael Wayne Coleman, 53, was arrested on Jan. 16 after an investigation that began in November 2013. When the investigation began, Coleman was the bishop of the Lehi Second Ward in Mesa. Police say they believe Coleman was removed from his position as bishop.
Police received a tip from a foreign exchange student company Educatius International after a 16-year-old male student told them of an inappropriate Facebook chat, according to police.
Police said Coleman allegedly made comments to the student about getting a kiss and a hug from him.
Educatius International suspended Coleman immediately after receiving the complaint from the student, and the company turned over the man’s company laptop and cell phone.
After an internal review, Educatius found additional communication they deemed inappropriate, so they fired Coleman and turned the evidence over to police, company spokesman David Leibowitz said in a statement.
Police said they found evidence of an additional elicit sexual conversation with a 17-year-old male.
Educatius said they conduct thorough background checks on all applicants, even those who don't have any contact with students.
"We had no reason to be concerned about Coleman prior to the student’s complaint," Leibowitz said. "Educatius stands vigilant at all times to ensure the safety of all sponsored students."
Coleman admitted to having these conversations with both victims, but did not admit to any sexual contact with them, according to police.
Police are continuing to investigate the matter to see if there are any other victims.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stated it has "zero tolerance" for any type of abuse.
"When the Church became aware of these charges, Coleman was released as a bishop to allow him to attend to legal proceedings," said church spokesman Eric Hawkins. "We are supportive of the efforts of authorities to ensure this situation is addressed appropriately."
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view all information sources
[A resume posted to Coleman's LinkedIn profile suggests that he served a Mormon mission to Argentina in 1980-82.]
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