20 matching Mormon sex abuse cases

  • Crime scene: Recreational trip/outing
    • 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
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Jimmy Brooks was a Mormon church member in Texas; charged with child sexual abuse in 1994
    • Shawn Frost 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
    • Stephen Goode was a Mormon church member in Gresham, Oregon; arrested in 2019 and accused of sexually abusing a child during a trip in 2018; in 2022, found guilty in a jury trial of four felony charges; sentenced to 8.5 years in prison and 20 years supervision
    • Shawn Gooden was an LDS bishop in Lebanon, Pennsylvania from 2016-2020; arrested in 2022 and charged with sexual abuse of two children in Virginia from 1997-2000; pleaded guilty in July 2023 in Virginia to four felony counts; sentenced in November 2023 in Virginia to prison time and supervised probation on release; charged in July 2023 in Pennsylvania with more child sex abuse charges
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Dustin Hall was a Mormon church member and Boy Scout leader in Washington; accused of sexually abusing boys in the Shelton Ward near Olympia; a lawsuit filed against the Mormon church in 2009 claimed church leaders knew Hall posed a risk to boys but failed to prevent him from working with them
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • David Hamblin was a Mormon church member and former elders quorum president in Utah; arrested in 2022 and charged with child sexual abuse in three separate cases; investigated along with ex-wife Roselle Stevenson (arrested in 2023) for alleged ritualistic sexual abuse; in 2025, a court dismissed one case with prejudice after "discovery issues;" one case remained as of March 2025
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Craig Harward 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
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Vance Hein 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
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • LDS church payment: Undisclosed amount
    • Kenneth Jenks 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
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Bryce Johnson was an LDS church member in Heber City, Utah; convicted of three counts of aggravated child sex abuse/1st degree felony and sexual exploitation of a minor/2nd degree felony; sentenced to prison
    • Robert Metcalf 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
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Church discipline: Excommunicated,
    • Steven Murdock was a Mormon stake high council member and former LDS bishop in Holladay, Salt Lake County, Utah; allegedly sexually harassed multiple women in his ward while he was their bishop (he was bishop from 2013 to 2017); in 2019, was caught taking photos of a young woman in a dressing room in Tennessee; pleaded guilty in November 2019; sentenced in 2019 to one year probation, 48 hours community service
    • Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
    • Aaron Nelson was a Mormon church member in Idaho Falls, Idaho; charged with 3 counts of Battery-Actual, Intentional and Unlawful Touching or Striking of Another Against their Will and 3 counts of Disturbing the Peace; accepted plea deal and found guilty of Disturbing the Peace; died 31 days after convicted
    • Robert Price was an LDS church member and scout leader in Idaho; convicted in 2002 and sentenced to prison for child sexual abuse
    • Frank Selas was an former childrens TV host/entertainer in California who joined the LDS church in the 1990s; pleaded guilty to one count of indecent behavior with a child; the crime took place in the 1970s
    • Charles Weber was an LDS church member and principal in Heber, Utah; convicted of forcible sodomy, forcible sexual abuse unlawful sexual activity with a minor; admitted to sexually abusing children throughout his 35 year career