was an LDS church member; accused of sexual abuse

Kenneth Richens case details

born: 1963
alias Ken Richens

May 2023: In custody awaiting pre-trial on criminal charges of child sexual exploitation

Kenneth Richens served a full-time mission for the LDS church (Mormon church) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada from 1982 to 1984.

Thanks to your support, FLOODLIT has obtained court documents in this case.

As of May 7, 2023, FLOODLIT is seeking information to confirm whether Richens was found guilty of forcible sex abuse, a third degree felony, in Utah in October 1989. Possible case number: 53611. Possible other case number: 19857.

As of May 7, 2023, Richens had been taken into police custody at the Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane, Washington County, Utah. ID Number 650413.

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from KSL TV on 2023-05-05:

“NEPHI, Utah — A Utah man has been charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor on suspicion of his involvement in sex tourism and distribution of child pornography.

The man, identified by court documents as Kenneth Richens, has been charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Richens has not been taken into custody.

According to court documents, on March 30, law enforcement had “reason to believe” that Richens was involved in sex tourism.

Sex tourism is criminal conduct when a person travels to another nation where children are commonly trafficked for sexual abuse with the purpose of sexually abusing children in those nations.

Richens arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle Washington, returning from a trip to the Philippines and was searched at the border at which time a phone was seized from him.

Law enforcement searched the device and discovered “child sex abuse material” according to court documents.

The metadata of the photo files shows that Richens possessed them in Nephi, Utah prior to travelling to the Philippines.

According to the indictment, Richens has “traveled to the Philippines 49 times since 2011. The Philippines is a nation where sex tourism is not uncommon.”

The indictment identified Richens as being an active participant in “an international charity organization that provides educational support for children in Cambodia and the Philippines.” His work within that charity would “bring him into contact with children particularly susceptible to sexual abuse.”

On May 4, law enforcement served a warrant at Richens’ home but Richens was not there. It is believed he is still within Utah.”

Sources
  1. Utah man who works with global charity for children, charged for involvement in 'sex tourism' (archive) - KSL TV - 5 May 2023

The accused was a full-time LDS missionary 1982-1984 in the Canada Winnipeg mission.

Sources
  1. Kenneth Richens called to Canada (archive)

The accused was married Sep 1986 in the Logan Utah LDS temple.

Sources
  1. Logan Temple is site of upcoming wedding (archive)
LDS church positions: Missionary
LDS church positions at the time of alleged crime(s):
LDS church positions at the time of being accused:
  • Alleged failure to report by local LDS leaders? unknown
  • Alleged misconduct by local LDS leaders? unknown
  • Alleged misconduct by global LDS leaders? unknown

We don't know whether the LDS church paid any settlements in this case.

 

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