LDS positions: Apostle, - During alleged crime: Apostle,
- LDS mission:
unknown - Alleged:
10 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Alleged crime scenes:
Perpetrator's home,
Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted, - Alleged failure to report
- Alleged church actions: Ward official accused of failure to report,
- AKA Joe Smith, brother Joseph
updated Oct 16, 2025 - request update | add info
Alleged crime: 
Alleged crime state:
LDS positions: 
Alleged:
Alleged crime scenes:
Joseph Smith was the founder and first president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the LDS church or Mormon church.
FLOODLIT’s purpose is to help people learn about instances of sex crimes allegedly perpetrated by Mormon church members, and about instances where Mormon officials allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct or failed to support sexual abuse victims.
Smith was publicly accused during his life (1805-1844) of sexual misconduct, including adultery and illegal polygamy.
In May 1844, a Hancock County, Illinois grand jury indicted Smith for perjury, fornication and polygamy.
Smith died in June 1844.
Sources
- Zion high council and bishopric, Minutes, Far West, Caldwell Co., MO, 12 Apr. 1838 - The Joseph Smith Papers,
- Did Plural Marriages Include Sexual Relations? - Joseph Smith's Polygamy,
- Temple Lot Case - Archive.org,
- Mormon Stories Podcast 324-326: Grant Palmer discusses sexual allegations against Joseph Smith,
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1. Zion high council and bishopric, Minutes, Far West, Caldwell Co., MO, 12 Apr. 1838 - The Joseph Smith Papers
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2. Did Plural Marriages Include Sexual Relations? - Joseph Smith's Polygamy
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3. Temple Lot Case - Archive.org
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4. Mormon Stories Podcast 324-326: Grant Palmer discusses sexual allegations against Joseph Smith
Documents
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Criminal case documents
We believe this person was never criminally charged, so no related criminal case documents exist. If you have information that suggests otherwise, please contact us.
Civil case documents
Floodlit does not have a copy of a related civil complaint. Please check back soon or contact us to request that we look for one.Other documents
Floodlit does not have a copy of any other related documents. Please check back soon or contact us to request that we look for some.Videos
- Video title: Joseph Smith as a Sexual Predator - 2009-06-20
- Video description: presentation by Sandra Tanner
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Other Mormon sex abuse cases
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- Wendell Thompson (1963 – ) was a former LDS bishop and stake presidency member in Clinton, Mississippi; convicted in 2011 of felony child sexual abuse (gratification of lust); some of the abuse took place while Thompson was in an LDS stake presidency role
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- Clayton Hildreth (1952 – ) was a Mormon stake president in Butte, Montana; from Dillon, Montana; arrested in June 2004 by Boise, Idaho police for soliciting sex from a person he thought was a 14-year-old girl online; was stake president at the time of his arrest; pleaded guilty in October to a charge of interstate travel with intent to have sex with a minor; sentenced in 2005 to three years and five months in prison
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