was a Mormon church member in Oregon; found guilty of sexual abuse and sentenced to prison.
Details

Personal information

  • Johnson, Timothy Samuel
  • Gender: Male

Case summary

Add info | Back to top

From Newsweek:

“After Timothy Samuel Johnson of Oregon confessed to sexually abusing his daughter over the span of four years to his church panel, the church reported him to authorities who investigated, convicted and jailed him. Now his wife is suing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, alleging that they violated his right to confidentiality.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Kristine Johnson filed suit in Marion County Circuit Court on January 3.
Timothy Samuel Johnson mugshot
Timothy Samuel Johnson mugshot Marion County Sheriff’s Office
Newsweek Newsletter sign-up >

In 2017, Kristine discovered that her husband had been involved in inappropriate sexual content with their daughter throughout her tween and teen years. Following church doctrine, he confessed before the clergy and the church court at their ward in Stayton, a small town outside of Salem, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

One of the clergy members who heard his confession reported the act to police. Johnson was then arrested for first-degree sodomy, sexual abuse and unlawful sexual penetration, the newspaper reported.

He pled guilty to four counts of second-degree sexual abuse and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He is incarcerated in the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution in Pendleton.

In the suit, which includes four of the couple’s five children as co-plaintiffs (the child that Timothy Johnson molested is excluded), Johnson claimed that the violation of “priest-penitent privilege” resulted in the family being deprived of her husband’s “companionship, love and income.” She is asking for $9.5 million in compensation for emotional distress and lost income, as well as $40,000 in reimbursement for the lawyer they hired to defend him in his initial trial.
Newsweek subscription offers >

Johnson also claimed in the suit that the church said they would “spiritually counsel” Johnson and his family to assist him in repenting for his sins. No mention was made of reporting him to the police, she claimed.

Oregon Live reported that lawyer Bill Brandt, who is representing Kristine Johnson and the children in the suit, claimed that the church should have been clear with Johnson that they were legally required to inform authorities of his crime. He said they should say “Look, before you come in here and say this, we need to tell you …we’re going to report you.”

Oregon is one of several states that have “mandatory reporter” laws, in which private or public officials in certain positions are legally required to pass along suspicions of child abuse to the police.”

Support FLOODLIT.org

Donate to help FLOODLIT cover our research expenses, including obtaining court records and police documents.

LDS/Mormon church membership history

Add info | Back to top

LDS 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.

LDS church positions ever held by the accused:
LDS church positions held by the accused at the time of the alleged crime(s):
LDS church positions held by the accused at the time of being publicly accused:

Alleged crime(s)

Add info | Back to top

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):

Arrest(s)

Add info | Back to top

Criminal charge(s)

Add info | Back to top

Criminal verdict(s)

Add info | Back to top

Criminal sentence

Add info | Back to top

Prison time

Add info | Back to top

Other court cases

Add info | Back to top

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.

View all Mormon sexual abuse settlements

 

"*" indicates required fields

Share details to help us improve our records. To report an unlisted abuser, email us at tips@floodlit.org. We'll keep you anonymous unless you tell us otherwise. Anything you share via this form will be privately reviewed by the FLOODLIT team to see if it's something we can publish.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.