Floodlit has updated our case report on Robert Tanner Lant of Utah, adding a timeline and details of allegations that Lant’s parents, both prominent members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, covered up child sexual abuse by Lant in the 1980s.
Robert Lant was convicted in 2018 and in 2023 of crimes related to alleged child sexual abuse of at least three children. He also is facing an ongoing lawsuit related to alleged sexual abuse of a fourth victim. He’s currently scheduled for release on parole from prison on April 21, 2026.
Women’s rights attorney Gloria Allred, who represented a victim in the 2018 criminal case, stated in 2018 that another alleged victim was prepared to testify that Lant sexually abused her in 1987, when she was approximately eight years old. A third alleged victim in the 1980s was also mentioned in police documents in that case.
Floodlit communicated with multiple individuals who knew Lant. We learned that there is more than meets the eye in this case.
Lant’s parents were both notable members of the Latter-day Saints church. Lant’s mother, Cheryl Clark Lant, was the Primary General President from 2005 to 2010, overseeing the teaching and activities program for LDS children from ages 3 to 11. (The “ch” in Cheryl’s name is pronounced like the “ch” in Charles.) Prior to that, Cheryl Lant was a member of the Primary General Board from approximately 2000 to 2005.
Lant’s father, John Lant, was a Mormon bishop, stake president (ca. 2008 to 2017, Orem Utah YSA 2nd Stake) and Brigham Young University professor of religion. He was also a key member of BYU’s fundraising team.
Professionally, the Lants co-founded and co-owned Learning Dynamics Academic Preschool. Cheryl Lant also co-founded and developed Frontline Phonics, a beginning reading program. The Lants own five academic preschools in Utah and Arizona as of December 2025, a person familiar with the family told Floodlit.
Robby marketed his parents’ reading program to kindergarten and elementary schools across the United States, the source said. At one point, Lant sold a perpetual license to the State of Texas Education Dept for $10 million, according to the source.
The Lant family’s deep, longstanding connection to children in religious and professional circles is important in this case because Robby Lant allegedly sexually abused two young girls, ages approximately 7 and 9, when he was about 17 years old.
According to a person who knew Lant personally, Lant’s parents did not report the alleged child sexual abuse in the 1980s to police or LDS church authorities, but instead kept it a secret, and pressured other individuals with knowledge of the alleged abuse to keep it secret. As a result, the victims in both of Lant’s criminal cases (2018 and 2023 convictions) were allegedly unaware, as were their parents, of Lant’s alleged past as a child sexual abuser.
At a press release announcement held immediately following Lant’s sentencing, Gloria Allred made a presentation, and the victim read a prepared statement in which she called out Robby Lant and Lant’s parents for failing to protect her innocence.
Floodlit has included the full text of the victim’s statement below in the sources section of our case report. Here is a partial quote:
“It has pained me to see the entire process of this case. It has pained me to see that a sexual predator is able to “monitored” by the same people that didn’t believe their own daughters when they came to them about Robert almost 30 years ago. The people who didn’t believe them and forbid them to secrecy and did not provide an ounce of support, or help to this situation. In both the victims place AND the predators place. The supervisors are the same people that didn’t allow the victims to tell my mother about her future husbands past before they got married. These supervisors, who are Roberts parents, are the same people that have gone out of their way to tell my neighbors, ward members, and several other people that my mother is a liar, that we are seeking attention, and that everything is untrue.”
According to a person who attended the Apr. 5, 2018 sentencing and press conference, KSL, KUTV and FOX 13 all had cameramen present, and KUTV and FOX 13 covered the story in news broadcasts that evening, but neither KUTV and FOX 13 of the news outlets mentioned that Robby Lant was the son of the former LDS General Primary President and KSL didn’t air the story at all.
Floodlit has obtained a copy of a 2017 victim statement by J.A., and a report of an interview with J.A. by a police officer with the Logan Police Department. J.A. described sexual abuse by Lant that “was ongoing for a long period of time.”
According to police, J.A. stated that “her father gathered them together and had told them to repent.” In context, it appears that “them” refers to J.A , about 7 or 8 years old (victim) and Robert, about age 17 (alleged perpetrator).
J.A. also told police that when Lant was preparing to go on an LDS mission a few days later, he went to his LDS bishop and then “told her they shouldn’t do those things anymore.”
2025: Ongoing civil lawsuit against Robby, while he is in prison
The 2023 criminal case victim is in an ongoing civil lawsuit against Lant. The victim is suing Lant for $13 million. In the lawsuit, the victim describes grooming behavior by Lant and mentions Lant’s 2018 criminal conviction of charges related to child sexual abuse.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is mentioned in the lawsuit, although it is not a defendant in the case. Because Lant was an active member of the LDS church at the time of his criminal behavior, the plaintiff’s lawsuit requests that Lant:
“Describe in detail any discipline or disciplinary investigation undertaken by or on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints related to allegations that you engaged in sexual misconduct or criminal behavior.”
source: 2024 civil complaint, Case No.: 240402567, p.28
As of January 2026, this lawsuit is proceeding through pre-trial motions.
Floodlit has obtained copies of statements by the plaintiff in the civil lawsuit in which the plaintiff alleges that Lant sexually abused them in November 2021 (when they were a minor) and in January 2023 (when they were 18 years old). The plaintiff said Lant’s alleged abuse in 2021 “made me feel like I was nothing.” They stated of the alleged 2023 abuse that Lant abused them for about three and a half hours on one occasion, and that the following occurred once Lant was done:
“He said, ‘Good night’ and walked [away]. Just like that. Like nothing just happened the last 3 hours and 24 minutes. I grabbed my phone, the time said 2:24am. Those numbers engraved into my brain. I jogged […] and quickly locked my door, not knowing if he would still follow me. Too violated, in shock, and sick. I played my brown noise, placed a piece of tape on both doors, locked them with a towel underneath the bottom, and turned on a nightlight, hoping it was all just a bad dream.”
Robert Tanner Lant: Timeline of alleged abuse and related events
1987: Robby Lant abuses J.A., according to allegations by J.A. detailed in a 2017 Logan Police Department report. J.A. is seven or eight years old at the time of the alleged abuse.
Approximately 1987 or 1988: Robert Lant’s parents, Cheryl and John Lant, learn that Robby Lant has allegedly abused two girls. The second victim is another girl between the ages of seven and nine. According to M.M.’s victim statement at Robert Lant’s 2018 sentencing, Cheryl and John Lant decide to handle the matter as a family and do not report anything to police.
1989 to 1991: Robert served a full time LDS mission in Rome, Italy.
2000 to 2005: Cheryl Lant is a member of the LDS church’s Primary general board.
2005 to 2010: Cheryl Lant is the Primary General President of the LDS church.
2012: Robert Lant allegedly sexually abuses an 11-year-old girl, M.M. (his third alleged victim).
2018: Robert Lant is convicted of sexual abuse of M.M. At the time, J.A. is prepared to testify against Robby. Attorney Gloria Allred and victim M.M. make statements at sentencing. M.M. calls out Cheryl and John Lant, saying they “have gone out of their way to tell my neighbors, ward members, and several other people that my mother is a liar, that we are seeking attention, and that everything is untrue.”
2021 and 2023: Robert Lant allegedly sexually abuses Jane Doe #4 in separate incidents. Jane Doe #4 is approximately 16 or 17 years old at the time of the 2021 allegedly incident, and 18 years old at the time of the 2023 allegedly incident.
2024: Jane Doe #4 sues Robert Lant for alleged sexual abuse.
2026: Jane Doe #4’s lawsuit against Robert Lant is proceeding through pre-trial motions.
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Floodlit is continuing to gather information about alleged sexual abuse by Robby Lant. If you knew Robby Lant or have any information, please contact us.
