7 LDS sex abuse cases found
Alleged church action: Church officials accused of allowing the accused to interact with children after receiving notice of wrongdoing
- Church action: Church officials accused of allowing interaction with children after notice of wrongdoing
LDS positions: Seminary teacher, Youth leader, 
Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted, Unknown result, - Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Alleged failure to report
Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of allowing interaction with children after notice of wrongdoing, Church officials accused of failure to protect victims after learning of possible abuse, Excommunicated, - View report »
Alleged crime state:
-
- Lynn Egley (1964 – ) was a former Mormon bishop in Benson, Cache County, Utah; accused of sexual abuse in 2018; the alleged abuse took place in the 1990s
- Alleged crime: 1990s,
Alleged crime state:
Idaho, Utah,
LDS positions: Bishop, 
Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted, 
Alleged failure to report
Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of allowing interaction with children after notice of wrongdoing, Church officials accused of failure to warn stake members, No church discipline, Unknown church action, "My [stake president] informed me that “Salt Lake” had called and asked him if there was a need for a disciplinary council for my wife and I because of our public opposition to the brethren. He told them no and that instead they should drive up to Idaho and apologize to us." -Alleged victim, Reddit 2019
"The brethren are aware of the issue and it has been handled properly despite what [victim] and [victim's wife] have stated."
-
- Larry Harmon (1932 – 2012) was a Mormon in Utah; sentenced to jail and probation in 2005 for aggravated sex abuse of a child; charged in 2012 with first-degree felony aggravated sex abuse of a child; according to police, Harmon was allowed to be around children at an LDS ward Christmas party (where the alleged abuse took place in 2011) despite being a registered sex offender; died in 2012, so the charge was dismissed
- Crime: 2000s, 2010s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2005, LDS positions: Missionary, Senior missionary, Temple worker, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Died awaiting trial, Jail, Probation, Registered sex offender, Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of allowing interaction with children after notice of wrongdoing, Church officials accused of failure to protect victims after learning of possible abuse, According to police, Harmon was allowed to be around children at an LDS ward Christmas party despite being a registered sex offender
"[T]he defendant was at his LDS Church building in Orem assisting members of the ward in setting up for a Christmas party. He located the 12-year-old female victim alone in the kitchen of the church."
-
- David Herget (1943 – 2005) was a Mormon high priest in Washington; convicted of child rape and child molestation in 1993; sentenced to 180 days in jail and was a registered sex offender; arrested in 2005, died by suicide in jail the next day; detectives identified at least seven victims; one child estimated that Herget abused him 1,400 times; in a 2025 lawsuit against the church, four plaintiffs said officials failed them
- Crime: 1990s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
Washington,
Convicted:
1993, LDS positions: High priest, Seminary teacher, Ward Santa Claus, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Died awaiting trial, Jail, Prison, Registered sex offender, Suicide, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing, Alleged failure to reportAlleged church actions: Church members wrote letters of support, Church officials accused of allowing interaction with children after notice of wrongdoing, Church officials accused of failure to protect victims after learning of possible abuse, Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Excommunicated, Rebaptized, Ward official accused of pressuring victim not to seek accountability, one boy estimated that Herget abused him 1,400 times
"This isn't a case of ignorance, it's a case of betrayal. The church knew exactly who this man was and what he had done. Nonetheless, they gave a convicted predator a position of trust and authority, which allowed him to exercise power over young boys. These kids deserved safety. Instead, they were left vulnerable to unimaginable harm."
-
- Richard McClung (1943 – 2026) was a Mormon bishopric counselor in Rockford, Illinois in 2006; convicted in 2007 and 2014 of charges related to child sexual abuse; accused in a 2025 lawsuit against the Mormon church of sexually abusing an 8-year-old girl on church property in 2006 despite facing criminal charges at the time and remaining in the bishopric; died in plane crash Feb. 14, 2026 in Poplar Grove, Illinois
- Crime: 2000s, 2010s,
- Crime state:
Illinois,
Convicted:
2007, 2014, LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Found guilty, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Registered sex offender, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing, Alleged failure to reportAlleged church actions: Church officials accused of allowing interaction with children after notice of wrongdoing, Church officials accused of failure to protect victims after learning of possible abuse, Excommunicated, Ward official accused of pressuring victim not to seek accountability, -
- Jeffrey Rock (1955 – ) was a former Mormon branch president and U.S. State Department employee; lived in California, Utah, Fiji and Thailand; pleaded guilty in 2025 to three charges of sexual battery; sentenced in February 2026 in Utah to 18 months in jail; the Mormon church knew about alleged child sex abuse but failed multiple times over years to alert civil authorities, according to Rock’s relatives
- Crime: 2000s,
- Crime state:
California, Utah,
- Crime country:
Thailand,
Crime country:
Convicted:
2025, LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Branch president, Elders quorum, Nursery, Primary, Scout leader, Stake high council, temple liaison, Youth leader, Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Convicted, Jail, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Alleged failure to reportAlleged church actions: Church officials accused of allowing interaction with children after notice of wrongdoing, Counseling/therapy for victim, Disfellowshipped, High-level official accused of failure to report, Officials allegedly gave the accused a church duty after admission of wrongdoing, Ward official accused of failure to report, Mormon officials were accused of failure to report Rock’s sexual abuse of children
"Myself, my mom and my sister reached out to the LDS Church for help. He lied to them. They protected him with misguided mercy."
-
- G S was a male Mormon church member in Little Rock, Arkansas in the Pinnacle Mountain Ward; convicted in 1993 of felony sexual abuse of a minor in the third degree; allegedly abused a victim from 1981 to 1993 (from age 4 to 15); in January 2026, the victim filed a lawsuit against the LDS church naming G.S. as the perpetrator and accusing church officials of multiple failures
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime state:
Arkansas,
Convicted:
1993, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing, Alleged failure to reportAlleged church actions: Church officials accused of allowing interaction with children after notice of wrongdoing, Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Unknown church action, Ward official accused of saying victim was responsible, the alleged abuse lasted for nearly 12 years, beginning when the victim was 4 years old
"[Church officials] gave a convicted child rapist a position of authority in the Church [...] and allowed him to interact regularly with the children of the Pinnacle Mountain Ward."
Filters
Select one or more criteria from the dropdown menus below to refine results.