Summary

Paul Barnes was a Mormon stake patriarch in Queen Creek, Arizona.
In May 2014, Barnes (then 59) became first counselor in the Queen Creek Arizona Stake presidency.
Barnes may also have been a stake clerk or stake executive secretary in Arizona. Please add information if you can.
In 2023, Barnes was arrested and charged with child sexual abuse that allegedly took place in Idaho.
Barnes was a stake patriarch at the time of the alleged abuse. At that time, he was also attending a Mormon temple regularly, according to a source familiar with his case.
He molested a 10-year-old child and confessed to police, the source said.
In his confession, Barnes tried to convince police the 10-year-old child was a willing participant in the abuse, according to the source.
According to a psychosexual evaluation submitted to the court in Barnes’s case in July 2023, the psychologist was unable to perform the evaluation on Barnes despite repeated attempts over one and a half hours.
The psychologist wrote:
The interview was discontinued after one-and-a-half-hours. Mr. Barnes repeatedly questioned the process throughout the interview. He stated he felt “railroaded” by the process. The interview ended after an exchange that occurred when he asked me to not document his answer to a question. When I explained my job is to document his answer but also his explanation, he questioned my objectivity and ability to perform an accurate evaluation. Unfortunately, when he stated he did not believe I was conducting an objective and accurate evaluation, I ethically could not proceed.
Barnes was convicted and sentenced to prison.
As of 2024, Barnes was serving a prison sentence of 5 to 15 years. Barnes was initially in an Idaho prison, but was transferred to Arizona in late 2023 or in 2024.
Idaho case number for Barnes’s criminal case: CR42-22-8525
FLOODLIT is seeking more information. If you knew Barnes, please contact us.
Donate to support FLOODLIT.org
Your support enables us to conduct research, publish case info, and make documents freely available.
Our relentless reporting honors survivors, assists researchers, and empowers those who protect the vulnerable.
Donate »Facts
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Positions: Stake patriarch,
- During crime: Stake patriarch, Stake presidency counselor,
- When accused: Unknown position,
- Crime: 2020s, in Idaho,
- Convicted: 2020s,
- Victims: 1 victim,
-
Born: 1955
- Mission: unknown
- Locations: Arizona, Idaho, Maricopa County (Arizona),
Sources
-
1. New stake presidents
QUEEN CREEK ARIZONA STAKE: (May 4, 2014) President — Dal William Zemp, 52, managing director at Renewable Tech Ventures; succeeding, Brian V. Solomon; [...] Counselors — Paul Kleven Barnes, 59, technical analyst at State Farm Insurance
-
2. Idaho booking/mugshot
PAUL BARNES
PAUL BARNES was booked in Blaine County, Idaho for IDOC for Idaho Department of Corrections.
Booking Date: 11/3/2023 3:10:00 PM
Age: 68
Documents
Have documents, information or corrections? Add information
Criminal case documents
FLOODLIT does not have a copy of a related probable cause affidavit. Please check back soon or contact us to request that we look for one.Civil case documents
We do not know of any related civil cases, so no related civil case documents exist. If you have information that suggests otherwise, please contact us.