150 LDS sex abuse cases found
1990s
- Crime decade: 1990s
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- John Parkinson (1931 – ) was a Mormon stake president (1981-1991) and physician in Fairfield, California; sentenced to prison in 1997 for sexually abusing two female patients, but the judge delayed the sentence pending an appeal; his conviction was later reversed
Crime: 1980s, 1990s, 
Crime state:
California,
-
LDS positions: Stake presidency counselor, Stake president, Sunday school, 
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jury trial, Overturned/reversed, Prison, - Alleged failure to report
- View report »
Crime state:
-
- Curtis Payne (1959 – ) was a Mormon church member and elementary school teacher in St. George, Utah; convicted in 2019 of child sexual abuse and sentenced to four consecutive terms of 15 years to life in prison
- Crime: 1990s, 2000s, 2010s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2019, 
LDS positions: Missionary, 
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, -
- James Penrod was a Mormon church missionary in Pennsylvania in 1997; originally from Utah; sent home to Utah from his mission and arrested in July 1997 and charged with child sexual abuse; sentenced to prison for sexual abuse
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
Pennsylvania, Utah,
LDS positions: Missionary, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, -
- Keith Peterson (1948 – 2020) was a Mormon church member and former high school teacher in Nampa, Idaho; accused in 1991 of inappropriate sexual contact; sentenced to 180 days suspended jail time and two years of probation; charge was dismissed in 1998 after he completed probation; pleaded guilty in October 2019 to one count of lewd conduct with a child under 16; sentenced in 2020 to 17 years in prison
- Crime: 1990s, 2010s,
- Crime state:
Idaho,
Convicted:
2020, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Probation, -
- Timothy Phelps (1961 – ) was a Mormon church member in Morgantown, Kentucky; convicted of sexual abuse
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime county:
FL - Pinellas,
- Crime state:
Florida,
Crime county:
Convicted:
1995, LDS positions: Ward executive secretary, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, -
- Arthur Phillips (1949 – ) was a Mormon church member in Arizona; sexually molested a 14-year-old girl; in the 1990s, sentenced to prison for one year and placed on probation for four years
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
Arizona,
LDS positions: Sunday school, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Probation, -
- Adam Phipps was an LDS church member in Manassas, Virginia; accused of taking indecent liberties with children; charged and convicted in 1993; registered sex offender
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
Virginia,
LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Registered sex offender, Unknown result, -
- David Phipps/Verity was an LDS church member and dentist in Sacramento, California; pleaded no contest in 1987 to two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery involving two of his patients; In 1994, also pleaded no contest to two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery; served time in jail and had dental license revoked
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime state:
California,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, No contest, Plea deal, Civil case(s): Judgment for plaintiff, -
- Errol Pilling (1942 – ) was a Mormon bishop and licensed psychologist in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; went on an LDS mission to England in the early 1960s; pleaded guilty in 1988 and in 1994 to charges of sexual misconduct; in September 1994, his registration as a chartered psychologist with the Psychologists Association of Alberta was cancelled; in 1994, was excommunicated; as of February 2024, lives in Twin Falls, Idaho
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime country:
Canada,
Crime country:
LDS positions: Bishop, Missionary, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Civil case(s): Unknown result, 
Alleged failure to report-
- Lance Pitt was a Mormon church member; accused of sexual abuse
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime city:
WI - Shawano,
- Crime state:
Wisconsin,
Crime city:
Convicted:
1993, LDS positions: Other leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Registered sex offender, -
- Byron Poelman (1934 – 2014) was a bishop and stake president in Utah and partner in a law firm that represented the LDS church; arrested in 1994 for soliciting a prostitute; pleaded guilty to a class B misdemeanor charge of patronizing a prostitute
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime city:
UT - Salt Lake City,
- Crime county:
UT - Salt Lake,
- Crime state:
Utah,
LDS positions: Bishop, Bishopric counselor, Mission president, Missionary, Stake high council, Stake president, Sunday school, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Unknown result, Alleged failure to reportThe woman was taken to jail, while Poelman was released immediately.
"President and sister Poelman's lives need to be private now. [...] We are a family. A family keeps things private. A family draws close together. These things are to be kept private."
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- Lloyd Pond (1945 – 2019) was a Mormon church spokesman and leader of an LDS church radio program in Utah; pleaded guilty in 1996 to one count of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse; sentenced in 1997 to prison; died in 2019
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime city:
UT - Salt Lake City,
- Crime county:
UT - Salt Lake,
- Crime state:
Utah,
LDS positions: Missionary, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Civil case(s): Unknown result, -
- Robert Price was an LDS church member and scout leader in Idaho; convicted in 2002 and sentenced to prison for child sexual abuse
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
Idaho,
Convicted:
2002, LDS positions: Scout leader, Youth leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Not convicted, Police investigation, Suicide, Redd's alleged sexual abuse dated back to 1967
"My first thought was, at least he can't hurt anyone else. The abuse is over for everyone."
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- Shonn Ricks was an LDS church member in Benson, Cache County, Utah; accused of sexual abuse; found guilty by a jury in 1997; served about 14 months in prison; attempted to serve a Mormon mission and was supported by his stake president, Jerry Toombs; his mission call was withdrawn
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Found guilty, Jury trial, Prison, Alleged failure to report-
- Lowell Robison (1944 – 2018) was a Mormon mission president in the Mexico Leon mission (1995-1998) and stake president of the Provo, Utah Edgemont Stake (2001-2006); accused in 2018 of sexual abuse of multiple people; two months later, died by suicide
- Alleged crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Alleged crime country:
Mexico,
LDS positions: Bishop, Bishopric counselor, Elders quorum, Mission president, Missionary, Scout leader, Stake high council, Stake presidency counselor, Stake president, Sunday school, Youth leader, Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted, Suicide, Alleged failure to report-
- Tim Ryan was allegedly an LDS church member in Idaho; accused of sexual abuse; pleaded guilty in 2008 to a felony charge of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 16; detectives said the victim's family reported the abuse in 1999, but that it was dropped when they wouldn't cooperate with investigators
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
Idaho,
Convicted:
2008, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Alleged failure to report-
- Eldon Saling (1963 – ) was a Mormon church member in California and Utah; convicted in 1987 in California and in 1993 in Utah of charges related to sexual abuse; as of 2024, lives in Burley, Idaho as a registered sex offender
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime state:
California, Utah,
LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Registered sex offender, LDS positions: Scout leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Registered sex offender, Civil case(s): Unknown result, Alleged failure to report-
- Dennis Schult (1935 – ) was a Mormon church member and scout leader in southern California; pleaded no contest to two counts of child molestation as part of a plea agreement wherein six other molestation charges were dropped; sentenced in 1991 to eight years in prison for sexually abusing two of his scouts for several years; as of 2024, registered sex offender living in Granada Hills, California
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime state:
California,
Convicted:
1991, LDS positions: Scout leader, Youth leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, No contest, Plea deal, Prison, Registered sex offender, Alleged failure to report-
- Darran Scott (1964 – ) was a Mormon church member and filmmaker in Archies Creek, Victoria, Australia; pleaded guilty in 2017 to 16 charges related to the sexual abuse of 11 boys over a 25-year period; sentenced in 2017 to 10 years in prison
- Crime: 1990s, 2000s, 2010s,
- Crime country:
Australia,
Convicted:
2017, LDS positions: Youth leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, -
- Orin Searle (1926 – 2014) was an LDS church member in Ogden, Utah; accused of sexual abuse in 2013 but was deemed incompetent to stand trial; a victim said that Searle's predatory behavior began as early as the late 1950s, and that several family members, and multiple members of the LDS 44th Ward (Mount Ogden Stake), knew that Searle was a child molester but did nothing to stop him; died in 2014
- Alleged crime: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s,
- Alleged crime state:
Utah,
LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Elders quorum, High priest, Other leader, Temple worker, Criminal case(s): Not convicted, Alleged failure to report-
- Eric Senior was an LDS church member in Santa Clara County, California; accused of sexual abuse in the 1990s; convicted; sentenced to prison; lost an appeal with the California Supreme Court; as of March 2024, lives in Provo, Utah as a registered sex offender
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
California,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, -
- Timothy Shoemaker (1976 – ) was a Mormon church member in Newnan, Georgia; accused of sexual abuse; convicted; as of 2024, lives in Newnan, Georgia as a registered sex offender
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
Georgia,
LDS positions: Scout leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, Released, -
- Stewart Singley (1937 – ) was an LDS church member in Ohio; convicted in 1975 of child molestation that occurred in 1974; in 1997, convicted and sentenced to one year in jail or prison; as of 2024, is a registered sex offender; lives in East Waterford, Pennsylvania
- Crime: 1970s, 1990s,
- Crime state:
Ohio,
LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Registered sex offender, Released, -
- Allen Stailey was an LDS church member in Colorado and Utah; convicted in 1999 in Colorado of sexual assault on a child
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
Colorado,
LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Registered sex offender, Unknown result, -
- Roselle Stevenson (1953 – ) was an LDS church member in Utah; accused in August 2023 of child sexual abuse; ex-wife of ritualistic abuse suspect David Hamblin; charge dismissed with prejudice in May 2025
- Alleged crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s,
- Alleged crime city:
UT - Provo,
- Alleged crime county:
UT - Utah,
- Alleged crime state:
Utah,
LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Ongoing, -
- Terry Stidd (1960 – ) was an LDS church member in Kearns, Utah; in 1998, pleaded guilty to rape in the first degree and sodomy in the first degree and was sentenced to 10 years in prison; as of 2024, is out on parole and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Released, -
- Arthur Stout was a Mormon church member in Littlerock, California; in 2024, a civil lawsuit said he sexually assaulted a girl "on a weekly basis" from 1991 to 1997, starting when she was 5 years old; some of the alleged abuse took place in an LDS church building
- Alleged crime: 1990s,
- Alleged crime state:
California,
LDS positions: Other leader, Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing, 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-
- 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 crime: 1990s,
- Alleged crime state:
California,
LDS positions: Missionary, Criminal case(s): Never charged, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, 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, Civil case(s): Judgment for plaintiff, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Alleged failure to report-
- Brent Taylor (1948 – ) was the Utah Valley Youth Symphony orchestra director and an LDS Sunday school teacher; accused in 2018 of sexually abusing multiple boys; a judge ruled in 2023 that he had exaggerated his health issues to avoid trial; pleaded guilty in June 2024; sentenced twice to prison in two separate child sex abuse cases in 2024
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2024, LDS positions: Sunday school, Youth leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Fled or failed to appear, Ongoing, Pleaded guilty, Prison, -
- Keele Taylor was a Mormon church member in Farmington, Utah; convicted of possession of child pornography (child sexual abuse material / CSAM); in July 2019, pleaded guilty to possession of CSAM; the distribution charge was dropped due to a plea agreement
- Crime: 1990s, 2000s, 2010s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2019, LDS positions: Youth leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Alleged failure to report-
- Glendon Templeton was a Mormon bishop, Sunday school teacher and scout leader in Arizona; was bishop of the Maryvale Ward in West Phoenix from 2014 to 2019; excommunicated in 2019; also was a volleyball coach for high school-aged girls; accused numerous times and arrested, but never prosecuted for alleged sex crimes; sued in 1997 for alleged sexual abuse; allegedly sexually assaulted multiple teenage girls
- Alleged crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s,
- Alleged crime county:
AZ - Maricopa,
- Alleged crime state:
Arizona,
LDS positions: Bishop, Sunday school, Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted, Police investigation, Civil case(s): Unknown result, Alleged failure to report-
- Kelly Teters (1963 – ) was an LDS church member in Montana; in 2001, accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 1997; in 2002, found guilty of sexual intercourse without consent and sentenced to 10 years in prison
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
Montana,
Convicted:
2002, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Found guilty, Jury trial, Prison, Alleged failure to report
LDS positions: High priest, Scout leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Unknown result, Alleged failure to report
Convicted:
2006, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, -
- 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."
-
- Robert Tubbs (1952 – ) was an LDS scout leader in Slaterville, Weber County, Utah; admitted he told a Mormon bishop in the early 1970s he had molested multiple boys; Tubbs said the bishop kept the abuse secret; nearly 20 years passed and Tubbs molested others; in the 1990s, Tubbs pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse charges; sentenced to six years to life in prison; paroled in 2000; violated parole; released in 2008
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
LDS positions: Scout leader, Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Convicted, Parole, Prison, Released, Violated parole/probation, Alleged failure to report-
- Sterling Van Wagenen (1947 – ) was a co-founder of Sundance Film Festival and director of some Mormon temple endowment videos; publicly accused of sexual abuse of two children in two separate instances; sentenced to prison in 2019 for child sexual abuse
- Crime: 1990s, 2010s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2019, LDS positions: BYU, Stake high council, Sunday school, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Alleged failure to report-
- Thomas Waitman (1944 – ) was an LDS church member in Cupertino, California; convicted of felony child sexual abuse in 1995 in California; as of 2023, registered sex offender living in Redmond, Washington
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
California,
LDS positions: Scout leader, Seminary teacher, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, Released, -
- Matthew Wallis (1984 – ) was a Mormon church member in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana and in Ogden, Utah; pleaded guilty to a charge related to child sexual abuse
- Crime: 1990s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
Louisiana,
Convicted:
2015, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Alleged failure to report-
- Christopher Warnock (1950 – ) was a Mormon church member in Waukesha County, Wisconsin; pleaded guilty to two counts of 1st Degree Sexual Assault of Child and one 2nd Degree Sex Assault-Intoxicated Victim
- Crime: 1990s, 2000s, 2010s,
- Crime state:
Wisconsin,
Convicted:
2021, LDS positions: Stake seventy, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Alleged failure to report-
- Ryan Whitaker (1953 – ) was an LDS church member and divorce lawyer in Vancouver, Washington; charged with sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl in his Sunday School class during church meetings; convicted in 2013 and sentenced to prison; registered sex offender
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s,
- Crime state:
Washington,
Convicted:
2013, LDS positions: Missionary, Primary, Sunday school, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, Alleged failure to report-
- Alan Willey (1954 – ) was a Mormon church member and schoolteacher in Utah; honored as teacher of the year twice at local schools; sentenced to prison in 2007 for sexually molesting a child who was one of his students; accused of sexually abusing many other little children in his classes
- Crime: 1990s, 2000s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2007, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Found guilty, Jury trial, Prison, -
- LaVar Withers (1936 – 2005) was a Mormon and physician in Rexburg, Idaho; accused of sexually abusing at least 133 women and children as young as 13 years old over a period of 30 or more years; admitted to sexual abuse; in 1996, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery; sentenced to 30 to 60 days in jail and two years probation; the Mormon church placed him on probation and took his temple recommend; died in 2005
- Crime: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime city:
ID - Rexburg,
- Crime state:
Idaho,
LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Stake high council, Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Convicted, Jail, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Probation, Alleged failure to report-
- Timothy Wright was a Mormon church member in Santa Clara, California; convicted in 1994 of one or more felonies related to child sexual abuse; a 1994 civil lawsuit against the Mormon church said he molested a boy between 1989 and 1992, when the boy was 14 to 17 years old (actions for which he was convicted); the suit was dismissed in 1995 for failure to appear by the plaintiff's attorneys
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime state:
California,
LDS positions: Other leader, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Civil case(s): Dismissed, Lawsuit v. LDS church, -
- Mitchell Young (1960 – ) was an LDS missionary in Canada; in 1980, was sent home after allegedly molesting children; convicted in Arizona (1985) and Utah (1988) of child sexual abuse; in 1993, sentenced in Utah to 15 years in prison for molesting a child for five years; a 2002 lawsuit against the LDS church accused Mormon leaders of providing a safe harbor for him; as of 2024, lives in Ogden, Utah; registered sex offender
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime county:
UT - Weber,
- Crime state:
Arizona, Utah,
- Crime country:
Canada,
LDS positions: Missionary, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Unknown result, Alleged failure to report
Convicted:
2010, LDS positions: Unknown position, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Alleged failure to reportFilters
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