LDS positions: Bishop, Branch president, Other leader, Scout leader, Stake presidency counselor, Stake president, Temple worker, Unknown position, Ward executive secretary, - During alleged crime: Other leader, Unknown position,
- LDS mission:
unknown - Alleged:
1 victim,
- Alleged crime scenes:
Perpetrator's home, Public,
Criminal case(s): Ongoing, 
updated Sep 29, 2025 - request update | add info
LDS positions: 
Alleged:
Alleged crime scenes:
Criminal case(s): 
Ronald Charles Jones was a Mormon church member in West Jordan, Utah.
In 1990 and again in 1995, Jones was convicted of solicitation in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In July 2025, Jones, then 88, was arrested on suspicion of child sexual abuse.
Floodlit noted that a KSL news article omitted the Mormon church’s name, despite citing a police probable cause affidavit saying Jones “is an influential member of his LDS ward and held several positions within the church.”
KSL is owned by the LDS church.
More info: https://floodlit.org/ksl-omits-church/
Ronald Jones is a former LDS bishop, stake president (Lawton, Oklahoma), regional representative, and temple presidency member and temple sealer (Palmyra New York Temple).
Jones was also “Military Relations Director” for the LDS church from approximately 1989 to 1991. He was in the US Army in Vietnam during the Vietnam War and became a decorated military veteran.
If you knew Jones, please contact Floodlit.
FOLLOWUP STORY – July 31, 2025:
On July 9, 6-year-old Jessica (pseudonym) was riding her bike home from a friend’s house in West Jordan, Utah, when she saw former Mormon stake president, three-time bishop and twice-convicted sex offender Ronald Charles Jones, 88, sitting on his front porch.
Yesterday we reported that KSL omitted the name of the Mormon church from an article about Jones’s arrest on suspicion of child sexual abuse.
Mormon-owned KSL omits church’s name from news on suspected child sexual abuse
According to a police affidavit obtained by Floodlit, Jones told investigators that children “come to his house often where he provides them with candy.”
Jones, a decorated Vietnam War pilot, led the LDS church’s Military Relations Committee from 1989 to 1991 and was a temple presidency counselor and sealer from 2006 to 2009.
Jessica told a Children’s Justice Center interviewer she had visited Jones’s home before to receive candy.
This time, Jones led Jessica to his bedroom.
Jones kissed Jessica on the lips and put his tongue in her mouth, she told investigators.
Jones then led Jessica down to the basement, sat on a couch, and asked her to sit on his lap.
When Jessica tried to sit next to Jones instead, she said he pulled her body onto his lap and held her there, putting his hands inside her underwear and touching her private parts.
Jones then undid his pants and displayed his private parts, asking Jessica if she wanted to “touch it.”
She said no.
Jones put his tongue in her mouth again, moving it around, she said.
That’s when Jessica ran out of the house, got on her bike and rode away.
Three days later, Jessica’s mother was brushing Jessica’s hair and asked her what she was doing at Jones’s house, according to the affidavit.
Jessica replied that Jones gave her candy, but that she didn’t like the way he kissed her on the lips.
Her mother asked if there was anything else Jones did that Jessica didn’t like.
Jessica said Jones touched her private parts and asked her to touch his private parts.
On Aug. 5, 2025, Jones was charged with three first-degree felony counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a childm a first-degree felony charge of child kidnapping, and two misdemeanors: unlawful kissing of a child and lewdness involving a child.
Ronald C. Jones LDS Church Service Timeline
In 1990, a year after the Mormon church made Jones director of its Military Relations Committee, he was charged with sex solicitation.
Jones pleaded guilty within weeks, but a 1991 news article indicates he still held that church position.
In 1995, Jones was convicted a second time of an identical charge.
We’re trying to find out whether the church knew about the convictions or took any action.
The church made Jones a Palmyra, New York Temple presidency counselor and sealer beginning in 2006.
We thank those who provided us information to help flesh out the following timeline. We also thank those who donated to help us purchase LDS church directories that helped us confirm the information below.
- 1966–1967: Bishop, San Antonio 2nd Ward, San Antonio, Texas
- November 1967: President, Tuy Hoa Group, Central District, Vietnam
- 1971: Branch President, Weatherford Branch, Fort Worth Texas Stake
- 1977–1978: Bishop, Windcrest Ward, San Antonio East Stake, Texas
- 1980–1983: Bishop, Lawton Ward, Lawton, Oklahoma
- 1983–1984: Stake President, Lawton Oklahoma Stake, succeeding Ralph E. Siebach
- 1986–1987: Regional Representative, Germany Servicemen Region, Europe Area
- 1990: Administrative assistant, LDS Church Military Relations Committee
- February 1991: Director, LDS Church Military Relations Committee (until sometime prior to late October 1991)
- 2005–2006: Stake Presidency Counselor, West Jordan Utah Mountain View Stake
- 2006–2009: Temple Presidency Member and Sealer, Palmyra Temple, under Ralph Siebach (see 1983)
- September 2010–December 2012: Ward Executive Secretary, Mountain View 6th Ward, West Jordan Utah Mountain View Stake.
We’re trying to find a copy of Jones’s 2018 autobiography “The Spiritual One” by Jones, which the Mormon church is holding in its History Library:
https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/record/ec1e3abc-a961-4c9c-aec7-6bc066a95a9a/0
We invite you to share with us any experiences you may have had with Ronald C. Jones.
You can message us directly, leave a comment, or go to: https://floodlit.org/contact/
Have any info on this or other Mormon sex abuse cases? Contact us.
As an independent newsroom, FLOODLIT relies on your generous support to make thousands of reports of sexual abuse in the Mormon church available. If you find our work helpful, please consider donating! Thank you so much for helping us shine a light.
Sources
- Elderly West Jordan man arrested, accused of sexually abusing young girl,
- Man claiming to be former LDS leader charged with sexually abusing 6-year-old,
- Elderly West Jordan man charged with luring girl into home, sexually abusing her,
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1. Elderly West Jordan man arrested, accused of sexually abusing young girl
WEST JORDAN — An 88-year-old man has been arrested and accused of inviting a young girl into his house by offering her candy and then sexually abusing her.
Ronald Charles Jones, of West Jordan, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail Tuesday for investigation of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a child, and two counts of unlawful kissing of a child.
On July 9, a girl who is under the age of 8, told police "she was riding her bike home from her friend's house and saw the suspect sitting on his front porch and he wanted to give her candy. The victim said she went inside the suspect's home for candy, which she had done previously, and the suspect took her to his bedroom," according to a police booking affidavit.
Jones kissed the girl on her lips, then took her into the basement of his house and inappropriately touched her, exposed himself and kissed her again, the affidavit alleges.
The girl told her mother on July 12 what had allegedly happened and police were notified three days later.
Police questioned Jones on Tuesday. He denied all the allegations but was subsequently arrested following the interview, the affidavit states.
Investigators also called Jones "an influential member" of his church who told police "children come to his house often where he provides them with candy," according to the affidavit.
Jones pleaded guilty to sexual solicitation in 1990, according to court records.
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2. Man claiming to be former LDS leader charged with sexually abusing 6-year-old
WEST JORDAN, Utah — A man, who said he was once a bishop and stake president in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was arrested last month and charged Monday with several counts of sexually abusing a young child.
Ronald Charles Jones, 88, was charged with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a 1st-degree felony. He also received another 1st-degree felony charge of child kidnapping, along with two misdemeanors: unlawful kissing of a child and lewdness involving a child.
The investigation began after the victim — a 6-year-old girl — told her mom about the alleged abuse by Jones. According to court documents, the mom asked her daughter on July 12 what she was doing at Jones' house three days prior, when she saw the girl's bicycle outside Jones' home. The girl told her mom that Jones kissed her on the lips, and she did not like it. She also told her mom that Jones touched her private parts.
The girl's mom contacted Child and Family Services, which then forwarded the report to West Jordan Police. The girl was later interviewed by a detective. She said she was riding her bike past Jones' house on July 9 when he invited her to come inside so he could give her candy. She added she had gone inside his house for candy before.
The victim told police that "Brother Jones" made her sit on his lap, kissed her on the lips multiple times, touched her private parts, and showed his private parts to her. She said she resisted Jones at least once, telling him that what he was trying to do was against the law.
Jones was interviewed by police last Tuesday, then booked into the Salt Lake County Jail. A judge ordered that he be held without bail; he was still in custody as of Monday, according to the sheriff's office records.
Police said Jones denied the allegations of abusing the girl. He did, however, admit that he often gives candy to children in the neighborhood and has them over at his house.
Jones told investigators that he has been a bishop, a stake president, and a temple worker in the LDS church. FOX 13 News reached out to the church Monday night to confirm whether he was a bishop and/or stake president. The church has not yet responded.
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3. Elderly West Jordan man charged with luring girl into home, sexually abusing her
WEST JORDAN — An 88-year-old man was charged Monday with inviting a young girl into his house by offering her candy and then sexually abusing her.
Ronald Charles Jones, of West Jordan, is charged in 3rd District Court with child kidnapping and three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, first-degree felonies; plus unlawful kissing of a child and lewdness involving a child, class A misdemeanors.
On July 9, a girl who is under the age of 8, told police "she was riding her bike home from her friend's house and saw the suspect sitting on his front porch and he wanted to give her candy. The victim said she went inside the suspect's home for candy, which she had done previously, and the suspect took her to his bedroom," according to a police booking affidavit.
The girl later told police that "she received treats from 'Brother Jones,' later identified as defendant Ronald Jones. She said Jones 'was not a good person' and he 'wanted her to keep secrets,'" charging documents allege.
After attempting to inappropriately touch the girl, she said "Jones often gave her candy and asked her to keep it a secret," the charges state.
On this day, the girl said she "resisted by telling him it was against the law," according to the charges. But Jones, who prosecutors say exposed himself to the girl and inappropriately touched her, "would not let her leave without kissing him on the lips."
The girl said, "Once she was able to get away, she ran upstairs, out of the house, and rode her bike home," the charges state. After the girl's mother asked her daughter what she was doing at Jones' residence, she told her what had allegedly happened. The mother then called the police.
Prosecutors say Jones used his position "as a trusted member" of the victim's church congregation, where he has held "several high positions."
"(Jones) admitted that he oftentimes hands candy out to children and that children in the neighborhood frequently visit his house," the charges say.
Investigators have requested that he be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without the possibility of posting bail pending trial.
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
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
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