39 LDS sex abuse cases found
- Civil case result: Settlement
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- James Adams (1954 – ) was a Mormon church member in Beckley, West Virginia; sentenced to prison in 1994 for sexually abusing multiple children; in 1996, a $750 million lawsuit was filed against the Mormon church alleging coverup; the suit was settled out of court in 2000
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Convicted:
1994,
Positions: Other leader,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Excommunicated, - View report »
"The church is not in the business of covering up."Abuse went on for five years after Adams first told Mormon officials, including a bishop and stake president, the lawsuit said-
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- Larren Arnold (1935 – 2017) was a Mormon church member and scout leader in Idaho; in 1984, arrested for lewd conduct with a minor under 16; convicted, received a five-year suspended sentence and three years probation; Mormon leaders allegedly knew as early as 1964 about Arnold's abuse; the Mormon church made a $50,000 settlement payment to a victim in 2001, and a payment to another victim in 2012; died in 2017
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $50,000
Positions: Scout leader,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Probation,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Unknown result, - View report »
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- Eric Avant (1959 – ) was a Mormon cub scout leader in Norfolk, Virginia; convicted in 1979 of sodomizing an 11-year-old; Mormon leaders allegedly knew of his sexual attraction to young boys but did not check police records; convicted in 1988 of 14 counts of aggravated sexual battery and sentenced to 26 years in prison for molesting nine boys; had as many as 41 alleged victims; the church settled a lawsuit in 1992
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $2,000,000
Positions: Scout leader,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, - View report »
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- Christian Bearnson (1963 – ) was a Mormon church member in Los Angeles, California in the early 1990s; molested a 13-year-old girl; in 1993, the Mormon church was found liable for child sexual abuse by a jury in a civil lawsuit; the LDS church then settled with the two plaintiffs, reportedly for millions of dollars (US), and had the court records sealed
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $2,000,000
Positions: Unknown position,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Probation, Registered sex offender,
Civil case(s): Judgment for plaintiff, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, - View report »
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- Christopher Church (1966 – ) was a Mormon high priest and anesthesiologist in Arizona; had his license revoked in 2011 after an alleged pattern of touching women's breasts while they were unconscious; a 2003 civil lawsuit and a 2012 civil suit was dismissed
Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
Civil case(s): Settlement, - View report »
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- Franklyn Curtis (1903 – 1995) was a Mormon church member in Pennsylvania and Oregon; excommunicated in 1983 in Pennsylvania for sex abuse; rebaptized in 1984; molested five boys in Oregon; local LDS bishop knew but didn't report to police; convicted in 1995 in Oregon of sexual abuse; died in 1995
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $3,000,000
Positions: High priest, Sunday school,
Criminal case(s): Convicted,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Church position after conviction, Excommunicated, Rebaptized, - View report »
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- John Doe was a Mormon church member in Tacoma, Washington; allegedly sexually abused a preschooler in his ward in the 1980s; the LDS church settled with the abuse survivor for $1.1 million in 2023
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $1,100,000
Positions: Unknown position,
Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, - View report »
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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
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $995,000
Positions: Unknown position,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Released,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, - View report »
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- John Doe (1961 – ) was an LDS church member and former Mormon bishop in Alabama, Alaska and Texas; in 2022 or 2023, confessed to child sexual abuse to his LDS bishop and stake president in Texas, according to a person familiar with the case; they reported him to local police in 2023; in 2024, a plaintiff filed a civil lawsuit against him; Doe and the church settled with the victim in 2025
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Positions: Bishop,
Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Ongoing, Police investigation, Unknown result,
Civil case(s): Settlement, - View report »
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- Edwin Dyer (1935 – 1986) was a Mormon church member and scoutmaster in central Oregon; accused of sexual abuse; allegedly molested as many as 15 boys over a 28-year period; convicted in 1985 of two misdemeanors related to sexual abuse; shot and killed in 1986 by one of his victims; the Mormon church settled out of court for $200,000 with one victim
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $200,000
Positions: Scout leader,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Probation,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Disfellowshipped, Excommunicated, - View report »
"Until we use names, until people understand that this happened to Johnny next door, it will keep on happening."Church officials asked Dyer to resign as scoutmaster and later disfellowshipped and excommunicated him, but allegedly did not tell police-
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- 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
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $350,000
Positions: Scout leader,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Probation,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of failure to protect victims after learning of possible abuse, Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Excommunicated, - View report »
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- Shawn Frost (1970 – ) was an LDS church member in Virginia; arrested in 2022 and charged with child sexual abuse; in 2023, sued in $10.3 million lawsuit alleging child sexual abuse of three more victims; he was the victim's home teacher / ministering brother
Positions: Ministering/home teacher, Missionary, Other leader, Stake clerk, Youth leader,
Criminal case(s): Ongoing, Unknown result,
Civil case(s): Settlement, - View report »
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- John Goodrich (1959 – ) was a former Mormon bishop and dentist in Idaho; a woman accused him of nonconsensual sex; given a withheld judgment; in 2017, the Mormon church paid $300,000 to an alleged victim and her mother under conditions of secrecy; in 2024, charged in Virginia (case dismissed with prejudice); in 2025, a man sued the church in California
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $300,000
Convicted:
2017,
Positions: Bishop,
Criminal case(s): Charges dropped, Convicted, Ongoing, Withheld judgment,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing, Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Excommunicated, - View report »
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- Mark Gum (1957 – ) was a Mormon scout leader in Oxnard, California; a 2011 lawsuit against the LDS church and the Boy Scouts of America accused him of sexually assaulting a boy scout; while the boy was living with Gum (with the consent of the boy's parents), church members visited and accepted the living arrangement, the suit said; in 2012, the Mormon church made a settlement payment for an undisclosed amount
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Positions: Scout leader,
Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
Civil case(s): Dismissed, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, - View report »
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- Brent Hansen (1938 – ) was an LDS bishop and dentist in Spanish Fork, Utah; was also mayor of Spanish Fork and president of its chamber of commerce; accused in a civil lawsuit of receiving sexual favors from a dentistry patient in return for prescriptions for narcotics; his dentistry license was suspended for 30 days; died in 2015; twin brother of Kent Hansen, another accused Mormon dentist
Alleged failure to report
Positions: Bishop, Bishopric counselor, Scout leader, Stake high council, Sunday school, Youth leader,
Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
Civil case(s): Settlement, Unknown result,
Alleged church actions: Unknown church action, - View report »
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- William Hanson (1962 – ) was a Mormon youth leader who allegedly sexually abused children in several US states, including Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Utah, Texas, Wisconsin and New Jersey; sentenced to prison for child sexual abuse; in the 2000s, the Mormon church settled a civil lawsuit in which the victim accused it of failing to protect him
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Positions: High priest, Scout leader, Youth leader,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Probation,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, - View report »
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- Vance Hein (1951 – ) was an LDS church member and scoutmaster in West Bradford, Pennsylvania; was convicted in 1999 of a misdemeanor for sexually abusing one of his boy scouts; sentenced in 2000 to 15 years of probation; arrested in 2011 for possessing child pornography; sentenced in 2012 to 15 to 30 years in prison; the Mormon church settled a related lawsuit in 2014
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Convicted:
1999, 2000, 2012,
Positions: Scout leader,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Probation,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, - View report »
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- 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
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $875,000
Convicted:
1989,
Positions: Church employee, Scout leader,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Released,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Excommunicated, - View report »
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- Jesus Hurtado (1953 – ) was a Mormon church member in Utah; accused of sexual abuse
Alleged failure to report
Convicted:
1994,
Positions: Sunday school,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty,
Civil case(s): Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Church members wrote letters of support, Ward official accused of failure to report, - View report »
"Nobody did anything. Nobody called the police."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-
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- Christopher Jensen (1991 – ) was a Mormon church member in Utah and West Virginia; sentenced to 35 to 75 years in prison for sexually abusing two children; local LDS church coverup alleged; LDS church settled civil lawsuit mid-trial in 2018 for $32 million, also spending over $27 million on legal fees; FLOODLIT.org discovered the settlement details in 2025 and made them public for the first time
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $32,000,000
Convicted:
2013,
Positions: Missionary,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Found guilty, Jury trial, Prison, Registered sex offender,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of failure to warn stake members, Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Excommunicated, Stake official accused of pressuring victim not to seek accountability, Ward official accused of failure to report, Ward official accused of pressuring victim not to seek accountability, - View report »
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- Gail Jensen (1931 – ) was a Mormon church member in Wellsville, Cache County, Utah; in 1997, pleaded guilty to one second-degree felony count of sexual abuse of a child; sentenced to six months in jail with work release, and probation (ended in 1998); charge was reduced to a third-degree felony in 2001; in 2008, a woman filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Jensen; the case was settled in 2010
Convicted:
1997,
Positions: Unknown position,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Probation, Registered sex offender,
Civil case(s): Settlement, - View report »
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- Dick Jensen (1943 – ) was a Mormon church member and dentist in McMinnville, Oregon; was added to the BSA perversion files; according to perversion files appears to have had a criminal case; settled out of court with victim in civil case
Convicted:
1980,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, No contest, Plea deal,
Civil case(s): Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Unknown church action, - View report »
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- Melvin Johnson (1936 – ) was a Mormon seminary teacher and Brigham Young University (BYU) religion professor; accused by multiple victims of sexually abusing them when they were children; excommunicated and rebaptized; reportedly confessed to sexual abuse, but was not criminally charged; two victims filed lawsuits against him; one named the Mormon church as a defendant; it settled out of court
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Positions: BYU, Church employee, Other leader, Seminary teacher, Stake high council,
Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Never charged, Not convicted,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Unknown result,
Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Excommunicated, Officials allegedly gave the accused a church duty after admission of wrongdoing, Rebaptized, Ward official accused of failure to report, - View report »
"We didn't choose this. It happened to us. It wasn't our choice. But we're damn sure going to do something about it."excommunicated, rebaptized with a church record flagging him as a sex offender; top Mormon officials later removed the annotation-
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- Kenneth Johnson was a Mormon church member and home teacher in Beaverton, Oregon; a victim filed a $55.7 million lawsuit against the Mormon church saying Johnson had sexually molested him when Johnson was his home teacher; the alleged sexual abuse took place as often as twice a week for two years between 1987 and 1989
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Positions: Ministering/home teacher,
Criminal case(s): Unknown result,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Excommunicated, - View report »
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- Kevin Kirkland (1959 – ) was a Mormon seminary teacher and school teacher in the Redlands, California area; accused of sexual abuse; pleaded guilty in 2016 to molesting four female students from May 2015 to May 2016; sentenced to two years in jail; released in June 2017
Positions: Seminary teacher,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Pleaded guilty, Released,
Civil case(s): Settlement, - View report »
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- 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
Alleged failure to report
Convicted:
2005,
Positions: Scout leader,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, Released,
Civil case(s): Dismissed with prejudice, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Excommunicated, - View report »
"I allowed Satan to be my lord."According 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-
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- Chester Meek was a Mormon bishop in Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada from 1990 to 1995; while bishop, he allegedly sexually sexual assaulted multiple female church members; at least one alleged incident of abuse occurred in the bishop's office inside an LDS church
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Church paid $unknown
Convicted:
2000,
Positions: Bishop, Other leader,
Criminal case(s): Convicted,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, - View report »
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- John Misseldine (1982 – ) was a Mormon missionary in Nevada; charged with sexually abusing two children at an LDS chapel in the Las Vegas area; in 2005, made a plea deal to avoid prison, via an Alford plea to two counts; a lawsuit said a local Mormon leader failed to report abuse to police; in 2008, sentenced to prison after violating the plea deal; as of 2024, lives in Las Vegas, Nevada as a registered sex offender
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $782,000
Convicted:
2005,
Positions: Missionary,
Criminal case(s): Alford plea, Convicted, Prison, Probation, Registered sex offender,
Civil case(s): Dismissed, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Unknown result, - View report »
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- Thomas Monson (1951 – ) was an attorney for the LDS church's law firm, Kirton McConkie and son of an LDS apostle; In 1989, paid a $75 fine and was placed on probation after he pleaded guilty to a charge of soliciting sex from a prostitute; sued in the 1990s for sexual harassment; reached a settlement with the victim; despite his crime, was assigned to be a Mormon bishop in Salt Lake City, Utah; was a bishop in 2008
Positions: Bishop,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty,
Civil case(s): Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Church position after conviction, - View report »
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- Ralph Neeley (1949 – 2020) was an LDS church member in the Beaumont, Texas area; was sentenced in January 1994 to life in prison in Texas for repeated sexual abuse of an 8-year-old girl in an LDS chapel during church meetings and in other locations; died in prison in 2020; the Mormon church reportedly paid several million US dollars in a settlement to the victim
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $3,000,000
Positions: Unknown position,
Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Convicted, Prison,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Excommunicated, - View report »
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- Brian Pickett was a Mormon branch president and leader at a youth program picking pineapples in Maui, Hawaii; accused of sexual abuse in a civil lawsuit that also named the LDS church; the suit was dismissed with prejudice after a settlement in 2016
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Positions: Branch president, Stake high council,
Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
Civil case(s): Dismissed with prejudice, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Unknown church action, - View report »
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- Richard Ray (1942 – 2019) was an LDS church member in Arizona; sentenced in 1984 to 61 years in prison for molesting five girls; allegedly had more than 30 victims; the LDS church was involved in a lawsuit regarding clergy-penitent privilege; the church settled out of court for an undisclosed amount just before trial
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Positions: Missionary,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
Alleged church actions: Excommunicated, - 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
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Convicted:
1995,
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 church actions: Church position after conviction, Excommunicated, Rebaptized, Released from church position, - View report »
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- Todd Summers was an LDS church member and videographer for local children's events in Costa Mesa, California; accused of child sexual abuse that allegedly took place in a Mormon chapel and other locations; a 2009 civil suit against him ended with a $100,000 settlement payment by the Mormon church to the plaintiff
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $100,000
Positions: Missionary,
Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, - View report »
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- Peter Taylor was a Mormon church member in Washington; confessed to sexual abuse of his two underage stepdaughters; convicted; Mormon church lost a civil lawsuit and was court ordered to pay the victims $2.5 million; the church appealed and the amount was reduced to $1.2 million
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $1,200,000
Convicted:
2001,
Positions: Unknown position,
Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison,
Civil case(s): Judgment for plaintiff, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, - View report »
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- Kimball Ungerman (1957 – ) was an LDS bishopric counselor in California; moved to Utah; pleaded guilty in 2020 to one felony count related to child sexual abuse; sentenced to prison, but term was suspended; sentenced to probation; as of 2023, registered sex offender, lives in Orem, Utah; a 2021 California lawsuit against the church said bishop Phil Stewart failed to protect a victim, and a mission president didn't report
Alleged failure to report
Positions: Bishopric counselor, Missionary, Seminary teacher,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Probation, Registered sex offender,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, - View report »
"The Church does not keep a repository of documents relating to allegations, claims, or notification of child sexual abuse. There is no 'sexual abuse' file."-
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- Robert White was a Mormon missionary in South Dakota in the late 1960s; in 2008, a civil lawsuit filed against the Mormon church said he sexually abused a boy while on his mission
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Positions: Missionary,
Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Unknown result, - View report »
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- Jared Wilson (1976 – ) was an LDS church member in Raleigh, North Carolina; convicted in 2011 of crimes related to child sexual abuse (six total counts of indecent liberties with a child); released from prison in 2015; no longer a registered sex offender as of 2025; in 2013, the alleged victims' mother sued the Mormon church, a stake president and two bishops; the case settled in 2015
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Convicted:
2011,
Positions: ever-ward-missionary, Music leader, Sunday school, Sunday school teacher,
Criminal case(s): Convicted,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Unknown result,
Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of failure to warn stake members, Stake official accused of failure to report, Stake official accused of pressuring victim not to seek accountability, Ward official accused of failure to report, - View report »
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- Sean Woolf (1974 – ) was an LDS church member and full-time missionary; accused of sexual abuse of a child; the alleged abuse occurred during his mission; the victim later sued or planned to sue the Mormon church in 2020; the church settled with the victim, according to a person familiar with the case
Alleged failure to report-
Church paid $unknown
Positions: Missionary,
Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, - View report »
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