10 LDS sex abuse cases found
civil lawsuit against LDS church
- Criminal case result: Prison
- Civil case result: Lawsuit v. LDS church
- Crime state: California
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- John Doe (1955 – ) was a Mormon church member in Lake Elsinore, California; arrested in 1997; pleaded guilty to committing lewd acts with a child under age 14; spent three years in state prison; in December 2022, the LDS church paid $995,000 to settle its part of a related civil lawsuit wherein a jury awarded the victim $2.28 billion
Crime: 1980s, 1990s, 
Crime state:
California,
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LDS positions: Unknown position, 
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Released, - Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
Crime state:
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- Todd Edwards (1964 – ) was a Mormon bishop in Menifee, Riverside County, California; in 2013, sentenced to three years in prison for sexual abuse of one teenage girl in 2006 and another in 2012; was bishop at the time of the 2012 abuse; in 2024, two victims sued the LDS church in separate lawsuits; one said a stake president and LDS law firm Kirton McConkie hindered police
- Crime: 2000s, 2010s,
- Crime state:
California,
Convicted:
2013, 
LDS positions: Bishop, Youth leader, 
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Registered sex offender, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing, 
Alleged failure to report-
- Alfred Forrester (1936 – 2013) was a Mormon church member in California; excommunicated in the 1950s after conviction for child molestation; moved to Iowa, reoffended, incarcerated; returned to California, convicted once or twice more, then assigned to be a Mormon church scoutmaster; abused again, caught, sentenced to prison in 1979; a 2024 lawsuit against the LDS church alleged that a bishop failed to protect kids
- Crime: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s,
- Crime state:
California, Iowa,
Convicted:
1956, 1960, 1966, 1979, LDS positions: Scout leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Probation, Registered sex offender, Released, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing, Alleged failure to report2024 lawsuit said Mormon church excommunicated Forrester after child sex abuse conviction, then later re-baptized him and assigned him to work with kids
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- Craig Harward (1948 – ) was a Mormon ward executive secretary and former elementary "teacher of the year" in Santa Clara County, California; accused of sexual abuse of at least 10 children; pleaded guilty to charges related to sexual abuse of four children over a six-year period; sentenced to 14 years in prison; in 2024, a lawsuit said the LDS church failed to report abuse; as of 2024, lives in St. George, Utah
- Crime: 1990s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
California,
Convicted:
2004, LDS positions: Missionary, Other leader, Ward executive secretary, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Registered sex offender, Released, Civil case(s): Dismissed, Dismissed without prejudice, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Alleged failure to report-
- James Hogan (1937 – ) was a Mormon scout leader in California and Oregon; in 1989, was sentenced to five years in prison for child sexual abuse; in 1989, two teenagers sued the church and Hogan (settled 1990); in 2002, two men sued the church and the BSA (church settled for $800,000 and $75,000); in 2011, a man sued the BSA for $5.2 million (he previously settled with the church); in all, 12 alleged victims 1967-1989
- Crime: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s,
- Crime state:
California, Oregon,
Convicted:
1989, LDS positions: Church employee, Scout leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Released, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Alleged failure to report-
- Kenneth Jenks (1941 – ) was an LDS church member in California (Milpitas Ward); was a ward executive secretary and ward librarian; charged with sexual abuse; convicted; served 14 years in prison for sexual abuse of a minor under duress; three victims sued the LDS church, claiming it knew about Jenks's abuse but allowed him to work with children
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s,
- Crime state:
California,
LDS positions: Other leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing, Alleged failure to report-
- Maynard McFarland (1959 – ) was an LDS church member in California and Minnesota; sentenced in 2005 to 32 years in prison for sexually abusing his daughter for many years; released from prison in 2020; as of 2024, lives in Chula Vista, California as a registered sex offender
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
California, Minnesota,
Convicted:
2005, LDS positions: Scout leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, Released, Civil case(s): Dismissed with prejudice, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Alleged failure to reportAccording to a 2022 lawsuit, a bishop knew McFarland was abusing his daughter, but didn't report the abuse to police, and continued to let McFarland participate actively in church ceremonies and meetings, including baptizing his daughter
"I allowed Satan to be my lord."
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- Robert Metcalf (1949 – ) was a Mormon in California, Arizona; convicted of child sexual abuse in 1974; sentenced in 1979 to six years in prison; excommunicated; after prison, was rebaptized, made a scout leader and allegedly molested a scout on a campout in about 1987, according to a 1990 civil lawsuit against the LDS church; sentenced in Arizona in 1989 to 37 years in prison; 2020 lawsuit vs. LDS church
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s,
- Crime state:
Arizona, California,
LDS positions: Scout leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Unknown result, Alleged failure to report-
- Joseph Neipp was a former LDS bishop in San Jose, California; in 2021, pleaded no contest to four molestation counts and was given an 18-year prison sentence, with credit for the three years he spent in county jail prior to his sentencing; father of convicted Mormon child sexual abuser Samuel Neipp
- Convicted:
2021,
- LDS positions: Bishop,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, No contest, Prison,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Unknown result,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
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- Michael Shean (1947 – ) was a Mormon bishopric counselor and temple worker, and deputy district attorney in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara County, California; convicted of sexually molesting boys; sentenced to prison; the Mormon church allegedly made at least one settlement payment to a victim who said a stake president covered up the abuse for years
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime state:
California,
Convicted:
1995, LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Missionary, Seminary teacher, Temple worker, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Civil case(s): Judgment for plaintiff, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Alleged failure to reportFilters
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