LDS activity

36 LDS sex abuse cases found

LDS church activity

Crime scene: LDS activity

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- Michael Andrew (1977 – ) was a Mormon church member, former LDS church employee and part-owner of a children's gymnastics academy in or near Prescott, Arizona; accused in 2024 of child sexual abuse; convicted via a plea agreement in 2025; set to be sentenced Oct. 29
- Crime: 2020s,
- Crime state: Arizona,
- Convicted: 2025,
- LDS positions: Church employee, Seminary teacher, Youth leader,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty,
- View report »
- Bishop Baldwin was a Mormon bishop in Pittsburg, California in 1989; in 2024, accused in a civil lawsuit of child sexual abuse that allegedly lasted from 1989 to 1997, when the victim was 5 to 13 years old; the suit was one of 91 or more coordinated civil suits filed in California in 2024 against the Mormon church
- Alleged crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Alleged crime state: California,
- LDS positions: Bishop,
- Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Alleged failure to report
- Alleged church actions: Ward official accused of failure to report,
- View report »
- George Barnett was a Mormon ward clerk in Cerritos, California; accused in a 2025 lawsuit against the Mormon church of sexually abusing a child as part of a sex trafficking ring, and of covering up the abuse; the plaintiff said she was abused over 200 times at the Cerritos LDS stake center from 1979 to 1983
- Alleged crime: 1970s, 1980s,
- Alleged crime state: California,
- LDS positions: Ward clerk,
- Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
- 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
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state: California,
- LDS positions: Unknown position,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Probation, Registered sex offender,
- Civil case(s): Judgment for plaintiff, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
- Alleged failure to report
- Church paid $2,000,000
- View report »
- Ronald Boyce (1961 – ) was a Mormon seminary teacher and home teacher in Schenectady, New York in the 1990s; accused of child sexual abuse in a 2024 civil lawsuit against the LDS church
- Alleged crime: 1990s, 2000s, 2010s,
- Alleged crime state: New York, Utah,
- 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
- Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of allowing interaction with children after notice of wrongdoing, Church officials accused of failure to protect victims after learning of possible abuse, Excommunicated,
- View report »
- Carlfred Broderick (1932 – 1999) was a Mormon stake president in Cerritos, California; accused in a 2025 lawsuit against the Mormon church of sexually abusing a child as part of a sex trafficking ring, and of covering up the abuse; the plaintiff said she was abused over 200 times at the Cerritos LDS stake center from 1979 to 1983
- Alleged crime: 1970s, 1980s,
- Alleged crime state: California,
- LDS positions: Stake president,
- Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
- Robert Campbell was an LDS church member in Nebraska; accused of sexual abuse
- Alleged crime: 1980s,
- Alleged crime state: Idaho,
- LDS positions: Missionary,
- Criminal case(s): Unknown result,
- Civil case(s): Unknown result,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
- Francis Cochran (1921 – 2005) was a Mormon high priest in the Seattle 6th Ward in Seattle, Washington in the 1980s; convicted twice in the 1980s of crimes related to sexual abuse of multiple children; allegedly assaulted multiple young girls on LDS property, including during church meetings; a 2025 lawsuit (Floodlit broke the story) said stake president Paul Diehl & multiple ward bishops covered up allegations against Cochran
- Crime: 1980s,
- Crime state: Washington,
- Convicted: 1987, 1988,
- LDS positions: High priest,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Alleged failure to report
- Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Excommunicated, Ward official accused of failure to report,
- View report »
- Buckland Darrell (1979 – ) was a former LDS Primary teacher in Redmond, Washington; accused of molesting young boys in sacrament meeting and at their homes; charged with first-degree felony child molestation in 2022-23 (5 victims); admitted to sexually abusing around 6 to 8 boys; pleaded guilty; sentenced in 2024 to at least 8 years in prison; faced two additional counts in March 2025 after two more victims came forward
- Crime: 2010s, 2020s,
- Crime state: Washington,
- Convicted: 2024,
- LDS positions: Primary,
- Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison,
- Alleged failure to report
- Alleged church actions: Ward official accused of failure to report, Ward official accused of pressuring victim not to seek accountability,
- View report »
- Thomas Dawkins was an LDS church member in Columbia, South Carolina; accused of sexual abuse; convicted in 1986; the conviction was later overturned
- Crime: 1980s,
- Crime state: South Carolina,
- LDS positions: Sunday school,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Overturned/reversed,
- View report »
- Rowan Ellsworth (1948 – ) was an LDS church member and schoolteacher in Arizona; allegedly molested a 14-year-old girl at an LDS girls camp in mid-1990; the abuse was reported to a bishop Burgess, who allegedly failed to report to police, but instead encouraged the victim to forgive; sentenced to prison in 1999 for two counts of child sexual abuse; released in 2007
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state: Arizona,
- LDS positions: Missionary,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Released,
- Alleged failure to report
- Alleged church actions: Excommunicated, Rebaptized,
- View report »
- Dennis Empey (1957 – ) was a Mormon church member in Driggs, Idaho and scout leader in Provo, Utah; accused of sexually abusing many children between 1981 and 1990; a stake president and four Mormon bishops allegedly failed to report abuse for years; convicted in 1991 in Utah of child molestation; sentenced to one year in jail and three years probation; charged in 2025 in Idaho with sex crimes
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime state: Idaho, Utah,
- Convicted: 1991,
- LDS positions: Scout leader,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Ongoing, Probation, Registered sex offender,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Unknown result,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
- John Fanning (1932 – 2012) was a Mormon branch president in Texas, bishop in Oklahoma and Boy Scout executive in several US states, including Utah; accused in 1986 in Utah of sexually abusing at least three boys, including during LDS-sponsored scouting activities; admitted guilt; convicted via plea agreement in 1986 or 1987; sentenced to 30 days in jail and spent approximately 18 months on probation; died in 2012
- Crime: 1980s,
- Crime state: Louisiana, Utah,
- Convicted: 1987,
- LDS positions: Bishop, Branch president, Missionary, Scout leader, Senior missionary,
- Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Convicted, Jail, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Probation,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Unknown result,
- Alleged failure to report
- Alleged church actions: Unknown church action,
- View report »
- Kenneth Farris was a Mormon church member in Norco, California; accused of sexual abuse
- LDS positions: Bishopric counselor,
- Criminal case(s): Unknown result,
- View report »
- Michael Fischer was a Mormon church member and young men's president in Washington; accused of sexual abuse; sentenced to prison
- Crime: 1980s,
- Crime state: Washington,
- LDS positions: Scout leader, Youth leader,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison,
- View 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 report
- Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Church position after conviction, Excommunicated,
- View report »
- Alan Grant (1959 – ) was an LDS church member and primary teacher in Utah; found guilty of child sexual abuse; sentenced in August 1998 to two months in jail
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state: Utah,
- LDS positions: Primary,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail,
- View 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 state: Utah,
- Convicted: 2005,
- LDS positions: Missionary, Senior missionary, Temple worker,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Died awaiting trial, Jail, Probation, Registered sex offender,
- Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of allowing interaction with children after notice of wrongdoing, Church officials accused of failure to protect victims after learning of possible abuse,
- View report »
- 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
- View report »
- Lynn Hill was a Mormon scoutmaster in Utah; worked from 1976 to 1984 as a financial auditor for the LDS church, including in Japan and other Asian countries; sentenced in 2004 to up to five years in prison for sexually abusing a 17-year-old developmentally disabled girl; Hill molested her while driving her to an LDS church activity for disabled children, and at her home, according to charging documents
- Crime: 2000s,
- Crime state: Utah,
- Convicted: 2004,
- LDS positions: Missionary, Scout leader,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Prison, Released,
- Alleged church actions: Unknown church action,
- View report »
- Richard James (1966 – ) was a Mormon church member in Potomac, Maryland; accused of sexually abusing a boy from 1995 to 1999 at billionaire Bill Marriott's home, an LDS church and other locations; pleaded guilty to reduced child abuse charges; sentenced to 10 years in prison (nine suspended); was a registered sex offender; the victim sued the church, Marriott and six others in 2024
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state: Maine, Maryland, North Carolina,
- Convicted: 2002,
- LDS positions: Scout leader, Youth leader,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Registered sex offender, Released,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Alleged failure to report
- Alleged church actions: Excommunicated, Rebaptized,
- View report »
- Ronald Jenkins (1942 – ) was a Mormon scout leader, bishopric counselor and stake high council member in Idaho; worked as a high school teacher; accused of sexual abuse; convicted in 1996 of 10 counts of lewd conduct with a minor; sentenced to 17 years in prison; registered sex offender
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state: Idaho,
- LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Scout leader, Stake high council,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, Released,
- Alleged failure to report
- Alleged church actions: Excommunicated,
- View 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
- Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Church position after conviction, Excommunicated, Rebaptized,
- View report »
- Gary Jones was a Mormon ward clerk in Cerritos, California; accused in a 2025 lawsuit against the Mormon church of sexually abusing a child as part of a sex trafficking ring, and of covering up the abuse; the plaintiff said she was abused over 200 times at the Cerritos LDS stake center from 1979 to 1983
- Alleged crime: 1970s, 1980s,
- Alleged crime state: California,
- LDS positions: Ward clerk,
- Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
- Larry Judd (1936 – ) was an LDS church member in Mesa, Arizona; accused of sexual abuse; admitted to molesting 12 girls over a period of about 20 years; some of the alleged abuse took place at church and at church-sponsored summer camps
- LDS positions: Scout leader,
- Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Convicted, Unknown result,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
- George Koford was a Mormon bishop in Cerritos, California; accused in a 2025 lawsuit against the Mormon church of sexually abusing a child as part of a sex trafficking ring, and of covering up the abuse; the plaintiff said she was abused over 200 times at the Cerritos LDS stake center from 1979 to 1983
- Alleged crime: 1970s, 1980s,
- Alleged crime state: California,
- LDS positions: Bishop,
- Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
- 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 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 report
- Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of allowing interaction with children after notice of wrongdoing, Church officials accused of failure to protect victims after learning of possible abuse, Excommunicated, Ward official accused of pressuring victim not to seek accountability,
- View report »
- Russell Millsaps (1947 – ) was an LDS church member and retired police sergeant in Arizona; sentenced in 2016 to 323 years in prison for child sexual exploitation
- Crime: 1990s, 2010s,
- Crime state: Arizona,
- Convicted: 2016,
- LDS positions: Other leader,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison,
- View report »
- Aaron Montoya (1972 – ) was a Mormon children's Primary teacher and law enforcement officer in Utah; found guilty in 2005 of sexually abusing children during LDS church meetings and at his home; later pleaded guilty in another case; in all, at least nine victims came forward; sentenced to prison in 2005; as of March 2025, is out of prison on parole and lives in Woods Cross, Utah as a registered sex offender
- Crime: 2000s,
- Crime state: Utah,
- Convicted: 2005,
- LDS positions: Primary,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Found guilty, Jury trial, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Registered sex offender, Released,
- Alleged church actions: Counseling/therapy for victim,
- View 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
- Alleged church actions: Excommunicated, Rebaptized,
- View report »
- 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 crime: 1980s,
- Alleged crime state: Hawaii,
- LDS 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 failure to report
- Church paid $unknown
- Alleged church actions: Unknown church action,
- View report »
- Gary Reese (1938 – 2014) was a Mormon bishopric counselor, seminary teacher and Boy Scout leader in Washington; accused of sexually molesting several boys in his scout troops; never charged; two plaintiffs sued the Mormon church; lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice in 2011; Reese died in 2014
- Alleged crime: 1970s,
- Alleged crime state: Washington,
- LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Missionary, Scout leader, Seminary teacher,
- Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil case(s): Dismissed with prejudice, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Unknown result,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
- Nefi Rubalcava was a Mormon bishop in Norwalk/Cerritos in southern California; accused of child sexual abuse in two lawsuits filed against the Mormon church in 2025; he was the foster father of one of his alleged victims and the bishop of both of them; he allegedly participated in a sex trafficking ring involving at least one other bishop and a stake president
- Alleged crime: 1970s, 1980s,
- Alleged crime state: California,
- LDS positions: Bishop,
- Criminal case(s): Unknown result,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
- Thomas Schofield (1955 – ) was a Mormon bishop in Elk Grove, Sacramento County, California; accused in a 2024 civil lawsuit of sexually abusing a 16-year-old child in 2004-05 while he was a Mormon Bishop; some of the alleged abuse took place in the Salt Lake City and Oakland LDS temples and the bishop's office at church
- Alleged crime: 2000s,
- Alleged crime state: California, Utah,
- LDS positions: Bishop,
- Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Alleged failure to report
- Alleged church actions: Ward official accused of failure to report,
- View report »
- 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,
- View report »
- Bruce Van Horn was a Mormon bishopric counselor in Cerritos, California; accused in a 2025 lawsuit against the Mormon church of sexually abusing a child as part of a sex trafficking ring, and of covering up the abuse; the plaintiff said she was abused over 200 times at the Cerritos LDS stake center from 1979 to 1983
- Alleged crime: 1970s, 1980s,
- Alleged crime state: California,
- LDS positions: Bishopric counselor,
- Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »

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