5 LDS sex abuse cases found
Alleged church action: Church members wrote letters of support for the accused to a court of law or to church officials. (While it is common for family members of accused individuals to write letters of support to courts prior to criminal sentencing, we try to make note of instances where church members' support was noted by a judge or a church official, or where praise for the accused's history of church participation was a significant element of their support.)
- Church action: Church members wrote letters of support
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- Timothy Bothell (1969 – ) was a LDS church employee and stake high council member in Utah; pleaded guilty and was sentenced in 2013 to two years in jail for sexual abuse of two girls, ages 11 and 13
Crime: 2010s, 
Crime state:
Utah,
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- Convicted:
2013,
LDS positions: Church employee, Stake high council, 
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Registered sex offender, - Alleged failure to report
- Alleged church actions: Church members wrote letters of support, Counseling/therapy for victim,
- View report »
Crime state:
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- 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 report
Alleged 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."
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- Jesus Hurtado (1953 – ) was a Mormon church member in Utah; accused of sexual abuse
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
1994, LDS positions: Sunday school, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Civil case(s): Settlement, Alleged failure to reportAlleged church actions: Church members wrote letters of support, Ward official accused of failure to report, per a 2016 lawsuit, a victim told two bishops, who did not alert police; she said one told her to repent and the other said he would no longer allow Hurtado to be her Sunday school teacher
"Nobody did anything. Nobody called the police."
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- Erick Mosteller (1965 – ) was a Mormon church member and former youth leader in Utah; was caught downloading child sexual abuse material (CSAM); admitted to soliciting sex acts from trafficked women at Asian massage parlors; pleaded guilty in March 2023 to two second degree felony charges of child sexual exploitation; sentenced in August 2023 to 250 days in jail, with credit for 79 days served; placed on 4 years probation
- Crime: 2020s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2023, LDS positions: Missionary, Youth leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Probation, Alleged church actions: Church members wrote letters of support, "The objective computer evidence and the admissions of the Defendent during his police interview show that the Defendent has been viewing child sex abuse material (child pornography) since 2002" -prosectutors state of Utah
"That must have been a bad day for me. "
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- Spencer Pratt (1975 – ) was a Mormon church member and former bank vice president of a Zions Bank branch in or near Spanish Fork, Utah; arrested in January 2025 on suspicion of child sexual abuse; pled guilty to FORCIBLE SEXUAL ABUSE - 2nd Degree Felony and AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ABUSE OF A CHILD - 1st Degree Felony(amended to) - 2nd Degree Felony; sentencing December 31, 2025
- Alleged crime: 2010s, 2020s,
- Alleged crime state:
Utah,
LDS positions: Primary teacher, Criminal case(s): guilty, Ongoing, Pleaded guilty, Alleged church actions: Church members wrote letters of support, Pratt received multiple letters of support in his criminal trial, including from his former LDS bishop to whom he allegedly confessed abuse
"I wen [sic] to the Bishop on my own to start this process, and am accepting the consequences that come."
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