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Donation options »7 Mormon sexual abuse cases found
Mark Anderson
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- was a Mormon church branch president and dentist in Woodland, California; accused by 27 former female patients of touching them inappropriately in office visits; found guilty in 2009 of 11 felony counts and one misdemeanor count of sexual battery for sexual abuse of several of his female patients; sentenced to six years in California state prison; required to register for life as a sex offender.
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- Criminal: Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender,
- Positions: Branch president, Other leader,
- Crime: 2000s, in California,
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David Farley
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- was a former doctor and LDS church member in West Linn, Oregon; accused of sexually abusing over 200 patients; the alleged abuse occurred over a span of many years, during which Farley was an LDS stake high council member for some time; never criminally charged; in February 2024, the city of West Linn, Oregon released a report about the way its police department investigated Farley.
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- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Positions: Primary, Stake high council, Sunday school,
- Crime scenes: Perpetrator's workplace,
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Ángel Jaramillo
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- was an LDS church member in Jujuy, Argentina; arrested on child pornography and abuse charges (which includes distribution, tenancy, and production of material).
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- Criminal: Ongoing, Prison, Unknown result,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Positions: Church employee, Stake clerk, Stake high council,
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Melvin Johnson
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- was a Mormon seminary teacher and Brigham Young University (BYU) religion professor; accused by multiple victims of sexually abusing them when they were children; excommunicated and rebaptized; reportedly confessed to sexual abuse, but was not criminally charged; two victims filed lawsuits against him; one named the Mormon church as a defendant; it settled out of court.
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Alleged coverup-
LDS church payment: Undisclosed amount
- Criminal: Admitted guilt, Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil: Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Unknown result,
- Positions: BYU, Church employee, Other leader, Stake high council,
- Alleged crime: 1960s, 1970s, in California, Utah,
- Crime scenes: Perpetrator's home, Victim's home,
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Steven Murdock
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- 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 .
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- Alleged coverup
- Criminal: Admitted guilt, Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Probation, Released,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Positions: Bishop, Stake high council,
- Crime: 2010s, in Tennessee,
- Crime scenes: Public, Recreational trip/outing,
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Brian Pickett
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- 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.
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- Alleged coverup
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LDS church payment: Undisclosed amount
- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil: Dismissed with prejudice, Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
- Positions: Branch president, Stake high council,
- Alleged crime: 1980s, in Hawaii,
- Crime scenes: LDS activity, Perpetrator's home,
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LaVar Withers
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- was a Mormon church member and physician in Rexburg, Idaho; was accused of sexual abuse by at least 133 women and children (some as young as 13 years old) over a period of 30 years or more; admitted to sexual abuse; found guilty of 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.
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- Alleged coverup
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Positions: Bishopric counselor, Stake high council,
- Crime: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, in Idaho,
- Crime scenes: Health appointment,
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View the Mormon Sexual Abuse Map
International map of locations where active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints perpetrated or allegedly perpetrated sexual abuse or other sex crimes, or where LDS leaders failed or allegedly failed to help abuse survivors.
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