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Donate »48 Mormon sexual abuse cases
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Paul Douglas Adams
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Alleged coverup- was an LDS church member in Arizona; sexually abused two children for several years after confessing to his bishop; arrested and charged; died by suicide in 2017 while in custody awaiting trial.
- Criminal: Died awaiting trial, Not convicted, Suicide,
- Civil: Civil case dismissed,
- Victims: 2 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Perpetrator's home, Victim's home,
- Alleged crime: 2010s, in Arizona,
- Case report »
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Leizza Alcantara Adams
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- Alleged coverup
- was the wife of sexual abuser Paul Douglas Adams; sentenced in 2018 in Arizona to 2.5 years in prison after pleading no contest to two felony counts of child abuse (not sexual abuse).
- Criminal: Convicted, No contest, Plea agreement, Prison,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime: 2010s, in Arizona,
- Convicted: 2010s, 2018,
- Case report »
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Manuel Joseph Archibeque
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- Alleged coverup
- was a Mormon church member in Maricopa County, Arizona; allegedly admitted to his bishop that he had sexually touched a child; charged in two cases in 2006 with sexual conduct with a minor and three counts of molestation of a child, all class two felonies; one case was dismissed in 2006 without prejudice; in the other, pleaded guilty to two reduced charges of child abuse.
- Criminal: Convicted, Pleaded guilty,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Case report »
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Mathew Legrand Arrington
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- was a Mormon church member and foster child advocate in Arizona; found guilty of child sexual abuse; sentenced in 2021 to 15 years in prison.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime: 2010s, in Arizona,
- Convicted: 2020s, 2021,
- Case report »
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Arlo Kay Atkin
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- Alleged coverup
- was a former LDS bishop in or near Chandler, Maricopa County, Arizona; accused of raping and impregnating a 14-year-old girl in his ward while he was her bishop; pleaded guilty, served time in prison.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: Civil case dismissed with prejudice, lawsuit against LDS church, Unknown result,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s, in Arizona,
- Case report »
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Coy Glen Ball
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- was an LDS church member in Mesa, Arizona; was charged with 11 various abuses to a child; pled guilty to 3 counts of Molestation of a child.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: Unknown number of victims,
- Crime: 1990s, in Arizona, Maricopa County (Arizona),
- Convicted: 2010s, 2014,
- Case report »
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James Chalmers Bayless
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- Alleged coverup
- was a Mormon church member in Gilbert, Arizona; pleaded guilty in 2015 to two counts of molestation of a child; as of 2024, is a registered sex offender living in Mesa, Arizona.
- Criminal: Convicted, Pleaded guilty,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime: 2010s, in Arizona, Maricopa County (Arizona),
- Convicted: 2010s, 2015,
- Case report »
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David James Borg
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- was a Mormon church member and scout leader; pleaded guilty to molesting multiple boys; sentenced to 34 years in prison.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
- Crime: 1980s, in Arizona,
- Convicted: 1980s,
- Case report »
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Donnie Rue Boring
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- was a Mormon bishop and stake high council member in California / Arizona; pleaded guilty in 2017 to a felony charge of sexual abuse; died in December 2017.
- Criminal: Convicted, Unknown result,
- Victims: Unknown number of victims,
- Convicted: 2010s, 2017,
- Case report »
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Rachel Katherine Brock
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- Alleged coverup
- was a Mormon church member; pleaded guilty to sexually abusing the same boy that her mother, Susan Brock, was convicted of molesting.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Case report »
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Susan Marie Brock
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- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member; was sentenced in April 2011 to 13 years in prison for engaging in a three-year-long sexual relationship with a boy, beginning when he was 14 years old; was released in December 2021.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Case report »
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Christopher James Church
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- was a Mormon high priest and anesthesiologist in Arizona; had his license revoked in 2011 for a pattern of touching women's breasts while they were unconscious; 2012 civil suit was dismissed.
- Criminal: Never charged,
- Civil: Settlement,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Alleged crime: 2010s, in Arizona,
- Case report »
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Michael Wayne Coleman
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- was an LDS bishop and former sound recording engineer in Mesa, Arizona (Lehi 2nd Ward); arrested in 2014 for sexual solicitation of a minor online; the alleged crime took place while he was bishop.
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 2 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Online,
- Alleged crime: 2010s, in Arizona, Brazil,
- Case report »
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Kenneth Ray Copple
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- Alleged coverup
- was a Mormon church member in Arizona; found guilty of child sexual abuse and sentenced in 2019 to prison.
- Criminal: Convicted, Found guilty, Jury trial, Prison,
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 1980s, in Arizona, Maricopa County (Arizona),
- Convicted: 2010s, 2019,
- Case report »
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Larry Deutsch
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- Alleged coverup
- was a Mormon bishop in Missouri; arrested in 2020 and charged with possession of child pornography (child sexual abuse material, or CSAM) and accused of luring an underage teenager from Arizona to Missouri; pleaded guilty; sentenced in 2021 to 12 years in federal prison plus a lifetime of supervised release; in 2024, the victim filed a civil lawsuit against the LDS church.
- Criminal: Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison,
- Civil: lawsuit against LDS church, Ongoing civil case,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime scenes: LDS church building, Online,
- Crime: 2010s, 2020s, in Arizona, Maricopa County (Arizona), Missouri,
- Convicted: 2020s, 2021,
- Case report »
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Michael Driggs
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- Alleged coverup
- 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.
- Criminal: Convicted, Plea agreement, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Registered sex offender,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 1980s, 2000s, in Arizona, Maricopa County (Arizona), Salt Lake County (Utah), Utah,
- Convicted: 1980s, 2000s, 2013,
- Case report »
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Anthon Taylor Ellsworth
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Rowan Joseph Ellsworth
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- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member and schoolteacher in Arizona; 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.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 2 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: LDS youth activity,
- Case report »
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Daniel Adam Galloway
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- was an LDS church member in Arizona City, Pinal County, Arizona; found guilty of sexually abusing an 8 year old foster child.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Case report »
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Floyd Keith Godfrey
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- was a Mormon church member and sexual orientation conversion therapist in Arizona; accused of sexual misconduct by two employees; in 2023, Godfrey was forced to surrender his license.
- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 2 victims, Multiple victims,
- Case report »
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Brandon Osorio Hernandez
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- was an LDS church member in Tempe, Arizona; accused of sexually abusing a victim inside a Mormon church; convicted of four fourth degree felony counts of abuse of a child or vulnerable adult.
- Criminal: Convicted, Plea agreement, Pleaded guilty, Unknown result,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime scenes: LDS church building,
- Convicted: 2010s, 2019,
- Case report »
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Roy Webb Hunt
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- Alleged coverup
- 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.
- Criminal: Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s, in Arizona, Maricopa County (Arizona),
- Convicted: 2000s, 2005,
- Case report »
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Larry Wright Judd
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- was an LDS church member in Mesa, Arizona; accused of sexual abuse; admitted to molesting 12 girls over a period of about 20 years.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Case report »
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Robert Glenn Kempton
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- was a former Mormon bishop and stake president in Arizona; was an attorney and served a mission as a legal counsel for the LDS church in Africa; arrested in 2014 in a police sting for prostitution.
- Criminal: Police investigation, Unknown result,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Alleged crime: 2010s, in Arizona,
- Case report »
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Cody Jonathan Lara
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- was an LDS church member in Arizona City, Pinal County, Arizona; accused of sexual abuse in 2018; convicted in 2019 of three reduced counts of abuse of a child or vulnerable adult.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Case report »
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Derek Marlan Layton
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- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member in Arizona; accused of sexual abuse in the late 1980s; convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison for "sexual with minor and dangerous crimes against children".
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
- Case report »
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Edwin Gale McClellan
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- was an LDS church member and former Mormon bishop in Cottonwood, Arizona; accused of sexually abusing 3 female family members from the 1980s-2000s.
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
- Case report »
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John Michael McKown
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- was an LDS church member in Arizona; charged in 2023 with child sexual exploitation.
- Criminal: Ongoing, Unknown result,
- Victims: Unknown number of victims,
- Alleged crime: 2020s, in Arizona,
- Case report »
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Robert Gene Metcalf
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- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member in California and Arizona; convicted three times of child sexual abuse; sentenced in 1979 to 6 years in prison for sexually abusing a child; returned to the Mormon church after being released from prison, was made a scout leader and allegedly molested a scout on a campout in about 1987, according to a civil lawsuit; sentenced in Arizona in 1989 to 37 years in prison.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Recreational trip/outing, Scout activity/event,
- Case report »
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Russell Dean Millsaps
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- was an LDS church member and retired police sergeant in Arizona; sentenced in 2016 to 323 years in prison for child sexual exploitation.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 2 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
- Crime: 1990s, 2010s, in Arizona,
- Convicted: 2010s, 2016,
- Case report »
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Paul Kimball Nelson
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- was an LDS church member in Arizona; accused of sexual abuse; sentenced to prison in November 2023; failed to appear at his sentencing and went missing; reportedly planned to turn himself in in March 2024 on the condition that his $100k bail be returned to his family; arrested in April 2024 in Tucson, Arizona and extradited to Gilbert, Arizona.
- Criminal: Convicted, Fled or failed to appear, Prison,
- Victims: 2 victims, Multiple victims,
- Case report »
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Brett Richard Nichols
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- was an LDS church member in Arizona; convicted of child sexual abuse; sentenced to 10 years in prison; baptized again after excommunication; ward members reportedly were not told of his criminal past when he returned after his prison time.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Case report »
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Christopher Ryan Nuttall
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- was an LDS church member in Mesa, Arizona; arrested in an FBI sting operation and convicted of LURE MINOR FOR SEX EXPLOIT and ATTEMPT TO COMMIT - SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH MINOR .
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime: 2010s, in Arizona, Maricopa County (Arizona),
- Convicted: 2010s, 2019,
- Case report »
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Bruce Lavon O'Dell
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- was a Mormon bishop and dermatologist in Show Low, Navajo County, Arizona; in 1999, was charged with 48 counts of sexual abuse.
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
- Alleged crime: 1990s, in Arizona,
- Case report »
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David Chandler Owens
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- was an LDS elders quorum president in Tempe, Arizona; accused of sexual abuse; sentenced in 2018 to 20 or more years in prison for sexually assaulting three young men in his Mormon ward.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 2010s, in Arizona, Maricopa County (Arizona),
- Convicted: 2010s, 2018,
- Case report »
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Leslie Leon Paul
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- was an LDS church member in Arizona; charged with child sexual abuse; sentenced in about 1989 to over 400 years in prison.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 4 victims, Multiple victims,
- Case report »
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Richard Peterson
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- was an LDS church member in Mesa, Arizona; accused of sexual abuse.
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Case report »
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Arthur Frank Phillips
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Carl Dee Pratt
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- was a Mormon bishop in San Manuel, Arizona; allegedly sexually abused a boy in his ward, in the bishop's office at an LDS chapel; died in 2006.
- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime scenes: LDS bishop's office, LDS church building,
- Case report »
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Richard Kenneth Ray
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- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member in Arizona; sentenced to prison for sexually abusing children; the LDS church was involved in a lawsuit regarding clergy-penitent privilege; the church settled out of court.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: Settlement,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Perpetrator's home,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, in Arizona,
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LDS church payment: Yes (undisclosed amount)
- Case report »
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Chance Lee Ray
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- was a Mormon church member and scout leader in the Mesa, Arizona area; convicted of child sexual abuse and sentenced to prison in Arizona; spent approximately 14 years in prison; released in July 2020.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime: 2000s, in Arizona,
- Convicted: 2000s, 2005,
- Case report »
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Glendon Templeton
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- was a Mormon bishop, Sunday school teacher and scout leader in Arizona; accused but never prosecuted for alleged sex crimes.
- Criminal: Never charged,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
- Alleged crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, in Arizona,
- Case report »
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Jordan Thomas Udall
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- was a Mormon church member and police officer in St. Johns Arizona; pleaded guilty in 2022 to knowing access to child pornography.
- Criminal: Convicted, Unknown result,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime: 2010s, in Arizona,
- Convicted: 2020s, 2022,
- Case report »
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Marcus Cleveland Udall
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- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member in Maricopa County, Arizona; accused of child sexual abuse; pleaded guilty in 2014 to a reduced felony charge; .
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Case report »
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William Arthur Whitmore
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- was an LDS church member in Mesa, Arizona; found guilty of sexual abuse .
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 2 victims, Multiple victims,
- Case report »
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Kenne Worthen
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- was a Mormon elementary school teacher and BYU-Idaho adjunct professor who sexually abused a 12-year-old child; pleaded guilty to sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of attempt to commit child molestation; sentenced to 25 years in prison and a lifetime of probation after.
- Criminal: Pleaded guilty,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Case report »
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Harvey Dee Wright
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- was an LDS church member and Scout leader in Flagstaff, AZ; in 1988 pleaded guilty to "Attempted Sexual Abuse/Dangerous Crimes Against Children" and received 90 days in jail and 4 years probation; placed on the BSA Confidential Files.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime: 1980s, in Arizona,
- Convicted: 1980s,
- Case report »
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Mitchell Blake Young
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- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS missionary in Canada; in 1980, 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.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: lawsuit against LDS church, Unknown result,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s, in Arizona, Canada, Utah,
- Convicted: 1980s, 1990s,
- Case report »
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