Summary
Douglas Richens was a Mormon church member and professional life coach in Tooele, Utah.
Prior to starting his coaching business, Richens worked for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 23 years. Positions Richens held there included seminary teacher, principal of Eagle Seminary, international director of disability services, and manager of special programs and services regarding crime and incarceration.
On Mar. 19, 2025, Richens, 52, was arrested at his place of business (Gray Space Experts in Tooele) for allegedly manipulating and sexually abusing several of his clients.
Thanks to your donations, FLOODLIT has obtained a copy of the police probable cause affidavit (PC affidavit) in Richens’s case.
Richens was arrested for 13 different offenses: 10 second-degree felony counts of sexual abuse of a child, and one misdemeanor count of sexual battery.
On Mar. 20, Richens was charged with sodomy on a child and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, first-degree felonies; sexual abuse of a child, a second-degree felony; and sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor.
Doug Richens Arrest and Pending Criminal Charges
Richens ran a business called Gray Space Experts with another person.
A woman who went to him for help told the police that during a session on March 4, Richens smacked her on the backside and made a casual remark about it being inappropriate without saying sorry. After talking it over with her husband, she reported it to the authorities.
The woman also mentioned that she spoke with other women who had seen Richens at his business, and they said he tried to steer their sessions toward sexual behavior, according to the PC statement.
A police officer interviewed these women and found their stories troubling and unprofessional, suggesting Richens might have been trying to groom them, even if what he did wasn’t clearly illegal. The officer heard there were more women with similar experiences but hasn’t spoken to them yet.
On Mar. 17, the same officer started looking into another case where a teenage girl said Richens touched her inappropriately during their sessions. She described being made to do odd stretches that didn’t make sense to her and felt wrong, though she wasn’t sure how to stop him.
While investigating, the officer discovered a third case from 2020, where a young girl claimed Richens abused her at his home. At that time, Richens refused to speak to police without a lawyer, and the girl’s family eventually asked to drop the case because it was too hard on her, the PC affidavit said.
But on Mar. 18, police reached out again, and the family said the girl, now a teenager, felt ready to move forward with charges.
After arresting Richens on Mar. 19, police reported that “a search of the [Utah] state website showed that Mr. Richens has no license to practice medicine or any kind of counseling.”
The probable cause statement also noted that other people had said Richens tried to groom them at his business, and they believe he could harm more women and children if let out, given his upcoming appointments.
If anyone has been victimized by Richens or knows of someone who has, they can call police at 435-882-5600.
Douglas Richens LDS Church History
A search of several online profiles of Richens showed numerous references to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including posts by him or a relative saying he attended Brigham Young University – Hawaii, taught Seminary (religious education for high school aged children) and visited a Mormon church building in Rwanda.
According to a LinkedIn profile which had recently been deleted as of Mar. 21, 2025, Richens held the following positions:
Current Job: [worked at lds church for 23 years]
Global Organization Manager – Impact of Crime & Incarceration at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Previous Jobs:
Manager – Special Programs and Services – Crime and Incarceration at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Manager – Special Services – Priesthood and Family Department at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Executive, Leadership and Life Coach at Hygge Solutions Group
Certified Life Coach and Business Consulting at Doug Richens-Coach, Speaker and Creator of the Ruthless Life series
Gray Space Experts- Owner & Founder at Gray Space Experts
Gray Space Experts- Founder & CEO at Gray Space Experts – Reinventing Life & Business
Global Senior Manager – Special Populations at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Senior Manager – Special Populations at The Church
Manager – Disability Services – Seminaries and Institutes of Religion at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Seminaries and Institutes of Religion
International Director – Disability Services at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Global Education Manager – Supporting Students with Disabilities at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
School Principal & Area Disability Administrator at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Adapted Needs Area Advisor at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Seminaries and Institutes of Religion
Religious Educator at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Seminaries and Institutes of Religion
Regional Educational Director at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
President at Straightline Automotive
Education:
Applied Compassion Training Certification from Stanford University
Master of Business Administration – MBA from Utah State University
Neuroscience of Applied Compassion & Ascendancy, The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research & Education (CCARE) at Stanford from Stanford University
Master of Business Administration – MBA from Purdue University
Bachelor of Science (BS), History from Brigham Young University – Hawaii
Richens spoke at a December 2018 chaplain training event for the LDS church. He said:
About a year ago, a little over a year ago, we were with the Quorum of the Twelve discussing the suicide prevention and ministering website. The name of the site was “Suicide Prevention,” and we knew that that title did not address or call out to those who had lost a loved one. If you had lost a loved one, you wouldn’t think to go to a site called “prevention.”
We needed a broader name. It was then, in that meeting, when President Nelson, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve, gave us the title that you see on the screen now. Everyone in the room looked at the word “ministering” and thought, “Well, that’s not us; that’s not our language.” But we said, “Yes, we would,” and we changed the site. And then of course, as this last year has unfolded, that word has become so significant to us and is improving our capacity to serve. I’m grateful for prophetic leadership at every step of this process.
Richens went on an LDS mission to Argentina, including Rosario, in the 1990s.
Richens married in the Salt Lake Temple in approximately 1996.
If you know anything about Richens’s history in the Mormon church, please contact us. You will remain anonymous.
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Donate »Facts
- Criminal: Ongoing, Police investigation,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Positions: Church employee, Missionary, Other leader, Unknown position,
- During alleged crime: Unknown position,
- When accused: Unknown position,
- Crime scenes: Perpetrator's home, Perpetrator's workplace,
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
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Born: 1972
- AKA Doug Richens
- Mission: Argentina Argentina (unknown) - included Rosario
- Locations: ever-rwanda,
Sources
- Suicide Prevention and Ministering,
- Tooele life coach accused of grooming, abusing clients ,
- Home Page Richens Business,
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1. Suicide Prevention and Ministering
Video Collections
Callings and Trainings
Chaplain Seminars and Trainings
Chaplain Seminars and Trainings 2016-2018
Suicide Prevention and MinisteringDescription
Douglas Richens (Priesthood and Family Dept) speaks at the 2018 Chaplain Training event. -
2. Tooele life coach accused of grooming, abusing clients
TOOELE — A life skills coach in Tooele has been arrested after allegedly grooming and sexually abusing multiple clients.
Douglas Richens, 52, was booked into the Tooele County Jail on Wednesday and charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with sodomy on a child and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, first-degree felonies; sexual abuse of a child, a second-degree felony; and sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor.
Richens is a co-owner at Gray Space Experts, 102 W. 1180 North, in Tooele. A woman recently contacted Tooele police and told them "she began to see the life coach Douglas Richens and she allowed herself to be very vulnerable with him and talk about her problems," a police booking affidavit states. At the end of her session on March 4, Richens allegedly slapped the woman's butt and said, "'Oh, that was inappropriate,' but never apologized or said anything else," the affidavit states.
After discussing the incident with her husband, the woman went to police.
"(The woman) told me she made contact with other women who had seen Mr. Richens at Gray Space Experts and they reported Mr. Richens had groomed them toward sexual activity. I later interviewed these women who provided statements to me, which I reviewed. The incidents these women reported did not appear to violate any state or federal statute, but it all seemed very unprofessional and inappropriate. The statements also appeared to be possible attempts to groom the women based on my training and experience. I was told that other women wanted to talk to me about being groomed by Mr. Richens, but I have not interviewed them yet," the arresting officer wrote in the affidavit.
On Monday, the same detective was assigned another case in which a teen girl claimed she was inappropriately touched by Richens, according to the affidavit.
"(She) stated she had approximately four or five sessions with Mr. Richens and he made her do strange stretches that made no sense to her," the affidavit states. "(The girl) said she knew what Mr. Richens was doing was wrong but she did not know how to make him stop."
While looking into that case, the detective learned of a third incident in 2020 involving a young girl who says she was sexually abused by Richens at his home, the affidavit states. Richens was questioned about that alleged abuse a few years ago but "refused to comment, asking for a lawyer to be present." The girl and her family eventually "found the investigation to be very difficult and asked that the case be closed and no longer involve their daughter," according to the affidavit.
On Tuesday, police contacted that girl's family again. This time, the family said the girl, now in her teens, "felt much stronger" and wanted to proceed with pressing charges, the affidavit states.
After Richens was taken into custody on Wednesday, police learned he "has no license to practice medicine or any kind of counseling," according to the affidavit.
Police also note in the affidavit that "other individuals have reported being groomed by Mr. Richens at (Gray Space Experts) and it is highly probable, based on these facts, that Mr. Richens has more appointments with women and children, and if released, he will offend again."
If anyone has been victimized by Richens or knows of someone who has, they can call police at 435-882-5600.
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3. Home Page Richens Business
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Doug's Early Career
Doug’s journey in education began in the vibrant setting of religious education for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Focused on creating positive systemic change, his work centered on addressing the unique needs of students and teachers grappling with disabilities and emotional difficulties.
Global Reach
Over time, Doug’s path led him to a pivotal role as a senior director, where he oversaw initiatives related to mental and emotional wellness, suicide prevention, disability advocacy, and other sensitive topics including incarceration and abuse. This role allowed Doug to travel the world, collaborating with experts and gaining invaluable insights.
The Big Change
Upon retiring, Doug made a conscious decision to raise his own voice, dedicating his life to helping individuals overcome and progress amidst life’s most challenging events. His mission is rooted in compassion, understanding, and a commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of others.
[...]
"Above all, be sensitive.
I mean it, really be sensitive to all people and in all things.
That's the best path to happiness that I know".
-Doug Richens
Documents
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Criminal case documents
FLOODLIT has a copy of a related probable cause affidavit, but it is not currently available for download. Please check back soon or contact us to request an copy.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.
