was a Mormon church member and scout leader in Granada Hills, California; was in the Northridge ward until 1983; convicted in 1987 of sexually molesting multiple boy scouts; sentenced to six years in prison

Case Summary

In early July 1987, Craig Mathias, of Simi Valley, California, was arrested on charges (lewd and lascivious acts against children) that he molested 11 Scouts, 12 to 14 years old, over an 18-month period during overnight sleepovers at his home.

On 1987-07-27, Mathias was placed in the BSA’s confidential “ineligible volunteer” files.

On 1987-08-27, Mathias pleaded guilty to five felony counts of lewd acts with children under 14.

He was sentenced to six years in prison.

Tommy Womeldorf, author of Scout’s Dishonor, told FLOODLIT that Mathias abused him and a few other boys in the Northridge, California LDS ward in the early 1980s.

Womeldorf and his father reported Mathias’s abuse to their bishop in 1983, but ward leaders only made a “feeble attempt” (Womeldorf’s words) to bring Mathias in for questioning.

Mathias then moved about 15 miles away to Canyon Country, California.

Sources
  1. Craig Mathias - the Perversion Files - Los Angeles Times
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  2. Scout leader arrested on molestation counts - Los Angeles Times - 1987-07-07
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  3. Mathias was a Big Brother in 1986 - Santa Clarita Signal - 1986-01-03
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  4. Mathias was a Mormon scoutmaster in 1987 - Santa Clarita Signal - 1987-02-01
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  5. Scouts Dishonor: A personal story of God, Abuse, Recovery and Truth
    view source details | 1 Jan 2015 | Tommy Womeldorf
Sources excerpts

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