was a Mormon scout leader in Logan, Utah in the 1980s; suspended by the BSA in 1987 after being accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old Boy Scout in his troop during a 1986 Scouting event at Camp Hunt near Bear Lake, Utah; in 1990, Jellum became a scoutmaster in a Nevada LDS ward despite his prior suspension; in 1991, Jellum admitted to the abuse

Case report

Paul Jellum was a Mormon church member and Boy Scout leader in Utah and Nevada.

Jellum was suspended by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in 1987 after allegedly molesting a boy at a scout camp (Camp Hunt, near Bear Lake, Utah) in 1986.

Despite failing to appeal his suspension, Jellum became a scoutmaster of Troop 512, Arrowhead Ward, Henderson West Stake in Henderson, Nevada in 1990.

Jellum became scoutmaster of an LDS scout troop in Nevada in 1990 (Troop 512, Arrowhead Ward, Henderson West Stake in Henderson, Nevada)

In May 1991, a mother of a previous victim called the BSA, according to a handwritten note by an unnamed scout leader.

The note says the mother called “concerning rumors that Paul Jellum had been reinstated in Scouting. She expressed concern that because no conviction was made that the accused can go on abusing children. She asked if they (the mothers of abused sons) could intervene in the apeal [sic] process. I gave her the name of the Regional office and Buford Hill’s name – she said she would write.”

The 1987 allegations were confirmed by the police, according to a detailed Nov 3, 1987 letter in the files.

According to the letter, “Yesterday morning Nov 2, 1987 Joe Hawkes informed me [unnamed scout executive] that a police detective had visited with him on Friday requesting information on Paul Jellum who is being investigated on a sexual abuse charge that came from the complaint of a boy. The incident apparently happened at Camp Hunt in 1986.”

The letter says Randy Auman, a Logan, Utah policeman, “said as far as he knew no criminal action was intended because of the age of the boy (14). He said the incident involved only fondling and the boy was old enough to give concent [sic].”

On Nov. 11, 1987, Jellum told the scout executive that he “had already talked to his Bishop about his trouble. He indicated that the Police have no case, but he understood our possition [sic]. He indicated his desire to return to Scouting when this was all over – I told him of the confidentiality that we would keep. We shook hands and he left the office.”

The letter says Jellum called the scout executive on Nov. 12, 1987 “[…] to inquire about the times the police department contacted our office. He again stated that he understood our possition [sic] but that he was notarizing the letter and sending it to his attorney in Salt Lake (McConkie) because of the charges being brought by the mother of the boy.”

The “McConkie” referred to may be Kirton, McConkie and Poelman, which dropped partner Lloyd Poelman from its marquee after he was caught soliciting a sex worker (see Lloyd Poelman Mormon sex crime case) in 1994.

Jellum was placed in the BSA Confidential Files (Ineligible Volunteer files or “perversion files”) in 1991.

Jellum’s IV file was heavily redacted.

FLOODLIT has not been able to locate any criminal or civil court case records related to sexual abuse allegations against Paul Jellum in Utah.

Case facts

Case information sources

  1. Paul M Jellum - Perversion Files
    view source details | 1 Dec 2022 | Los Angeles Times

Case information source details

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