22 LDS sex abuse cases found
bishopric counselors
- LDS position during crime: Bishopric counselor
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- Cortney Andrew (1984 – ) was a Mormon church member and bishopric counselor in Logan, Utah; in 2023, pleaded guilty to two third-degree felony counts of enticing a minor; sentenced in 2024 to 60 days in jail; as of May 2026, is a registered sex offender living and possibly attending an LDS ward in Trenton, Utah
Crime: 2020s, 
Crime state:
Utah,
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- Convicted:
2023,
LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Missionary, 
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Probation, Registered sex offender, Released, - Alleged failure to report
- Alleged church actions: Unknown church action,
- View report »
Crime state:
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- Richard Baker (1978 – ) was an LDS bishopric counselor in Clearfield, Utah; accused of voyeurism and child sexual exploitation
- Crime: 2010s, 2020s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2023, 
LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, 
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Unknown result, 
Alleged failure to report-
- Robert Berchtold (1936 – 2005) was a Mormon church member in Idaho; sexually abused a child; in 1986, was found guilty of rape of a child and spent one year in jail
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s,
- Crime state:
Idaho,
LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Missionary, Temple worker, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Alleged failure to report-
- Donald Bills (1959 – ) was a school teacher (one-time "teacher of the year") and former Mormon bishopric member in Provo, Utah; pleaded guilty to multiple felonies, including rape of a 17-year-old girl; sentenced in 2015 to a minimum of eight years in prison; as of January 2025, lives in Orem, Utah as a registered sex offender
- Crime: 2010s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2015, LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, Alleged failure to report-
- Kevin Bowman (1980 – ) was an LDS first counselor in a ward bishopric and a restaurant owner in Spanish Fork, Utah; was an LDS missionary in Taiwan 1999-2001; accused of sexual abuse of a teenage girl who worked in his restaurant; arrested in July 2023; in June 2024, found guilty by a jury of forcible sexual abuse (second-degree felony) and lewdness (class B misdemeanor); sentencing set for July 29, 2024
- LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Missionary, Other leader,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Found guilty, Jury trial,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
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- Wade Christofferson (1953 – ) was accused, per Floodlit's sources, of sexually abusing up to 12 children in Illinois, Ohio and Utah between 1985-2025, including while in bishopric; excommunicated in 1996 for child sexual abuse; rebaptized in 1997, was bishopric counselor 2006-11, 2016-19; charged in 2025 with child sexual abuse (alleged between 2016-25); his brother, apostle Todd Christofferson, knew by around 2020 of abuse
- Alleged crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2010s, 2020s,
- Alleged crime state:
Illinois, Ohio, Utah,
LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Missionary, Sunday school, Ward clerk, Criminal case(s): Not convicted, Ongoing, Police investigation, Alleged failure to report
Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Church position after excommunication, Excommunicated, High-level official accused of failure to report, Rebaptized, Ward official accused of failure to report, "I am deeply sorry for what I have done and will be meeting with my bishop to start the repentance process." - Wade Christofferson, Nov. 6, 2025 text message to an alleged victim's father
"I went to my bishop. I reported it. I was a child expecting safety, expecting protection. [...] Instead, I was given a punishment."
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- Glynn Collins (1944 – ) was a Mormon church member in Lovell, Wyoming; entered Alford plea to sexual abuse charges and was sentenced to 3-6 years in Prison January 22, 2026
- Crime: 2000s,
- Crime state:
Wyoming,
Convicted:
2026, LDS positions: Bishop, Bishopric counselor, Stake high council, Criminal case(s): Alford plea, Convicted, Alleged church actions: Unknown church action, "She presented video clips from when authorities originally questioned Collins. In one, after being asked if there was any truth to the allegations made by KF, Collins says, “That’s what I really can’t say. That will incriminate me. I can’t tell you.”
"
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- Robert Davis (1949 – ) was a Mormon church member in Eugene, Oregon; convicted of 5 counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 75 months in prison
- Crime: 2020s,
- Crime state:
Oregon,
Convicted:
2021, LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Alleged failure to report-
- Cesar Duran (1982 – ) was a Mormon bishopric counselor in a Spanish-speaking LDS ward in Orem, Utah (Geneva Height Stake); arrested for alleged sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl in his ward; the alleged abuse took place inside an LDS church building
- Alleged crime: 2010s,
- Alleged crime state:
Utah,
LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Criminal case(s): Unknown result, Alleged failure to report-
- Anthon Ellsworth (1982 – ) was an LDS bishopric counselor in Arizona; in 2021, pleaded guilty to three felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and was sentenced to seven years in prison
- Crime: 2020s,
- Crime state:
Arizona,
Convicted:
2021, LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Missionary, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Alleged failure to report-
- David Farley (1958 – ) was a former doctor in West Linn, Oregon; accused of sexually abusing more than 200 patients over a span of many years, during some of which Farley was an LDS stake high council member; in 2024, the city of West Linn, Oregon released a report about the way its police department investigated Farley; in October 2025, a grand jury indicted him on 11 felony sexual assault charges
- Alleged crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s,
- Alleged crime state:
Oregon,
LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Primary, Stake high council, Sunday school, Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Not convicted, Ongoing, Civil case(s): Ongoing, Alleged failure to reportAlleged church actions: Unknown church action, Church fought in court to keep records on Farley secret
"When I was assaulted, I thought I was alone, I thought I had misread things."
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- Jeffrey Graton (1973 – ) was a Mormon church counselor in a bishopric in American Fork, Utah; sentenced to prison in 2018 for child sexual abuse; is a registered sex offender, UDPS doesn't have updated out of state address; reportedly lives in Colorado
- Crime: 2010s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2018, LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Criminal case(s): Convicted, plea, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Alleged church actions: Excommunicated, -
- Kim Hartley (1963 – 2025) was a Mormon bishopric counselor in Clinton, Davis County, Utah; accused of sexual abuse of multiple children; the alleged abuse took place in 1999; pleaded guilty in March 2002 to two second-degree felony counts of forcible sexual abuse; sentenced to two concurrent terms of one to 15 years in prison
- Crime: 1990s,
- Crime state:
Utah,
Convicted:
2002, LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Alleged failure to reportAlleged church actions: Unknown church action, -
- Kyle Hendrickson was a Mormon church member; accused of sexual abuse
- LDS positions: Bishopric counselor,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail,
- View report »
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- 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 reportAlleged church actions: Excommunicated, -
- Virgil Larson was a Mormon church member and first counselor in an LDS ward bishopric in Chubbuck, Idaho; arrested in September 2024 and charged with sexual abuse of five boys, ages 12-15; he knew the boys from LDS ward activities and was their priesthood leader; as of March 2025, a jury trial was scheduled for April 8
- LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Youth leader,
- Criminal case(s): Ongoing,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
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- 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 reportAlleged 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, -
- Michael Shean (1947 – ) was a Mormon bishopric counselor and temple worker, and deputy district attorney in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara County, California; convicted of sexually molesting boys; sentenced to prison; the Mormon church allegedly made at least one settlement payment to a victim who said a stake president covered up the abuse for years
- Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
- Crime state:
California,
Convicted:
1995, LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Missionary, Seminary teacher, Temple worker, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Civil case(s): Judgment for plaintiff, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Alleged failure to reportChurch paid $unknownAlleged church actions: Church position after conviction, Excommunicated, Rebaptized, Released from church position, -
- Kimball Ungerman (1957 – ) was an LDS bishopric counselor in California; moved to Utah; pleaded guilty in 2020 to one felony count related to child sexual abuse; sentenced to prison, but term was suspended; sentenced to probation; as of 2023, registered sex offender, lives in Orem, Utah; a 2021 California lawsuit against the church said bishop Phil Stewart failed to protect a victim, and a mission president didn't report
- LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Missionary, Seminary teacher,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Probation, Registered sex offender,
- Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
- Alleged failure to report
- View report »
"The Church does not keep a repository of documents relating to allegations, claims, or notification of child sexual abuse. There is no 'sexual abuse' file."
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- 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-
- Byron Wiscombe (1977 – ) was an LDS bishopric counselor and Ammon, Idaho city councilman; signed a plea agreement indicating he would admit to committing lewd conduct with a minor; sentenced to prison in 2023
- Crime: 2010s, 2020s,
- Crime state:
Idaho,
Convicted:
2023, LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Missionary, Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Alleged failure to report-
- 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 state:
Idaho,
LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Stake high council, Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Convicted, Jail, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Probation, Alleged failure to reportFilters
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