13 LDS sex abuse cases found
2000s
- Crime decade: 1980s
- Decade convicted: 2000s
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- Michael Adamson (1945 – ) was a Mormon church caretaker and organist in York, England; allegedly abused at least four children as young as seven years old between 1966 and 1982; sentenced to prison in England in 2008 for child sexual abuse
Crime: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 
Crime country:
England, United Kingdom,
-
- Convicted:
2008,
LDS positions: ever-church-building-supervisor, ever-organist, Other leader, 
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Pleaded guilty, - Alleged failure to report
- View report »
Crime country:
Adamson reportedly molested four girls in his congregation, including two in the church's boiler room
"[Adamson] gave [a victim] a look as if to say, 'Don’t say anything or you are dead.'"
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- Brett Candelaria (1972 – ) was a Mormon church member in Colorado; pleaded guilty to charges of child sexual abuse on multiple occasions; sentenced in 2008 to two consecutive terms of 10 years to life in prison; later sentenced to 36 more years to life
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
Colorado,
Crime state:
Convicted:
2008, 
LDS positions: Unknown position, 
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, -
- James Denos (1929 – 2017) was a former LDS bishop and junior high school teacher in Utah; previously lived and served as a Mormon bishop in 1970 in Westminster, Orange County, California; sentenced in 2002 to a minimum of 20 years in a Utah state prison for sexually abusing four minor girls living in Utah; allegedly began molesting kids as early as 1950
- Crime: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2002, LDS positions: Bishop, Missionary, Stake high council, Temple worker, Ward clerk, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, 
Alleged failure to report"In public, my father was always so perfect, and he told us he was perfect. [...] He went to church every Sunday, we had family home evening and we read the Scriptures. People put him on a pedestal. But he was molesting children … right under our noses."
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- Michael Driggs (1950 – ) was a Mormon missionary in Brazil in the early 1970s; allegedly sent to a different mission in the United States after being found having inappropriate relationships with young boys; convicted of child sexual abuse in 1985 in Arizona; convicted again of child sexual abuse in 2013 in Utah; he met his victim in the Utah case at church, according to court documents
- Crime: 1980s, 2000s,
- Crime county:
AZ - Maricopa, UT - Salt Lake,
- Crime state:
Arizona, Utah,
Crime county:
Convicted:
2013, LDS positions: Missionary, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Registered sex offender, Alleged failure to report-
- 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
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime state:
Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin,
LDS positions: High priest, Scout leader, Youth leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Probation, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Alleged failure to report-
- Roy Hunt (1959 – ) was a Mormon church member in Maricopa County, Arizona; former city manager in Snowflake and Holbrook and a public finance banker at the National Bank of Arizona; accused of child sexual abuse in 2004; pleaded guilty in 2005 to a reduced charge; sentenced to prison in Arizona in 2005
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime county:
AZ - Maricopa,
- Crime state:
Arizona,
Convicted:
2005, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Alleged failure to report-
- Timothy McCleve (1956 – ) was a former Mormon bishop in Harrisville, Utah when he was charged with sexually abusing three children; some of the abuse took place while he was bishop; sentenced in 2008 to up to 30 years in prison for child sexual abuse; in 2024, charged in Utah with threatening a witness in a parole violation investigation
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2008, LDS positions: Bishop, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, 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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- Brian Mitchell (1953 – ) was a Mormon church member and temple worker in Utah; abductor, with Wanda Barzee, of Elizabeth Smart
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2009, LDS positions: Stake high council, Temple worker, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Alleged failure to report-
- Steve Nelson (1945 – ) was an LDS church member in Idaho; in 2009, pleaded guilty to a charge of lewd conduct; sentenced to 30 years in prison; Mormon leaders allegedly failed to report abuse to police in the 1980s
- Crime: 1980s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
Idaho,
Convicted:
2009, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Alleged failure to report-
- Bradley Stowell (1972 – ) was a Mormon church member and scout leader in Idaho; confessed to sexually abusing 24 boys; pleaded guilty to molesting two boys; sentenced in 1997 to 150 days in prison and 15 years of probation; local LDS church coverup alleged; one of Stowell's victims, Adam Steed, came forward, spurring lawsuits against the Mormon church and the BSA; as of 2024, lived in Herriman, Utah
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
Idaho,
Convicted:
2005, 2008, LDS positions: Missionary, Scout leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Probation, Registered sex offender, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Unknown result, Alleged failure to report-
- 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
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime state:
Washington,
Convicted:
2001, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Civil case(s): Judgment for plaintiff, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Alleged failure to report-
- Jay Toombs (1956 – ) was an LDS scout leader and private investigator in Benson, Utah; allegedly told his stake president (a Cache County prosecutor) in 1994 that he had molested boys; three LDS bishops and stake president Jerry Toombs (his older brother) allegedly knew of abuse but did not tell police; convicted in 2000 and sentenced to five years to life in prison; released in 2025; lives in Logan, Utah
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2000, LDS positions: Scout leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, Released, Alleged failure to reportadmitted to molesting at least 53 victims
"I felt like I was going to the authorities [by reporting to multiple bishops]. I wanted to do what was right. I didn't want to see him go to prison. I wanted him to get help. [...] I was always told to be patient with Jay, he was a good man. That's what I was told again and again and again. I was even given priesthood blessings that I had been chosen to help him."
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