was an LDS church member and high school teacher in Fresno, California; accused of sexual abuse; convicted; moved to Provo, Utah

class="case-summary-title">Facts

Summary

Richard Freeman was a Mormon church member in Fresno, California who was convicted of child sexual abuse.

According to a person familiar with the case, Freeman sexually abused a young child for several years into their early teens.

He was a high school teacher in the Fresno area at the time, so he lost his job.

Freeman served a prison sentence, during which time the victim and family moved to the Provo area.

After prison, he also relocated to Provo and served a probationary period where he was not permitted any contact with the victim, per our source. They told us the victim, family, and abuser were all active LDS.

The victim’s family was encouraged to stay together by local Mormon church leaders, our source said. The victim reportedly felt pressured to forgive Freeman.

Browse the Mormon Sexual Abuse Database

FLOODLIT.org has a free public database of hundreds of reports about people who committed or allegedly committed sex crimes, including sexual abuse, while they were active Mormon church members. You can browse the entire database by LDS church position, number of victims, places where crimes took place, criminal/civil case results, and other criteria.

View the Mormon Sexual Abuse Map

International map of locations where active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints perpetrated or allegedly perpetrated sexual abuse or other sex crimes, or where LDS leaders failed or allegedly failed to help abuse survivors.

 

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