6 LDS sex abuse cases found
Alleged church action: Ward officials accused of failure to protect victims after learning of possible abuse
- Church action: Church officials accused of failure to protect victims after learning of possible abuse
Convicted:
2021, 
LDS positions: Young Mens Leader, 
Criminal case(s): Convicted, - Alleged failure to report
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Crime city:
Crime county:
Crime state:
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-
- Timur Dykes was a Mormon church member and scout leader in Portland, Oregon; accused of sexual abuse; reportedly admitted to molesting 17 boys; convicted multiple times; in 1987, three plaintiffs sued the Mormon church and the Boy Scouts of America; in about 2009, the Mormon church paid $350,000 to a victim to settle its portion of a civil lawsuit
- Crime: 1980s,
Crime state:
Oregon,
LDS positions: Scout leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Probation, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Alleged failure to report-
- 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 city:
UT - Orem,
- Crime county:
UT - Utah,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2005, LDS positions: Missionary, Senior missionary, Temple worker, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Died awaiting trial, Jail, Probation, Registered sex offender, 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."
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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 county:
WA - King,
- 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 reportone 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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- 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 city:
Rockford,
- Crime county:
crime-county-il-winnebago,
- 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 reportFilters
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