Help FLOODLIT.org raise awareness
about sexual abuse in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS/Mormon).
Our growing public database (over 4,000 case reports) and relentless research have helped to hold perpetrators and enablers accountable.
Your donations make it possible for us to shine a bright light of support for abuse survivors everywhere.
Donate »10 Mormon sexual abuse cases
-
Sheril Dale Burton
-
- was a Mormon church member and BYU professor in Utah; found guilty of sexual abuse of two underage girls sentenced to up to 15 years in prison; as of January 2024, lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
- Crime: 1980s, in Utah,
- Convicted: 1990s,
- Case report »
-
-
Michael James Clay
-
- was an LDS church member and BYU professor in Provo, Utah; charged with sexually abusing three students; entered a plea bargain in May 2023 in which he agreed to plead no contest to three class A misdemeanor charges of sexual battery, complete 24 months of probation, do 50 hours of community service, and take a sexual boundaries course; sentenced in June 2023 according to the plea deal.
- Criminal: Community service, Convicted, No contest, Probation,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
- Case report »
-
-
Michael Blair Ehlert
-
- was a Mormon church member and former BYU professor in Utah; found guilty of sexual abuse in Guam in 2017.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 4 victims, Multiple victims,
- Case report »
-
-
Robert Bentley Jackson
-
- was a former assistant BYU professor and Mormon bishopric member (second counselor) in Provo, Utah; sentenced to two years in prison in 2006 for video recording a 14-year-old undressing.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Case report »
-
-
Melvin Kay Johnson
-
Alleged coverup- was a seminary teacher, BYU religion professor; accused by his children of sexually abusing his daughters; excommunicated, rebaptized; confessed to sexual abuse, but has not been arrested or criminally charged.
- Criminal: Never charged,
- Civil: Unknown result,
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Perpetrator's home, Victim's home,
- Alleged crime: 1960s, 1970s, in Utah,
- Case report »
-
-
Hugh Winder Nibley
-
- was a prominent LDS scholar in Utah; in 2005, was publicly accused by his daughter of childhood sexual abuse against her; died in 2005 in Provo, Utah; was never charged with a sex crime.
- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Case report »
-
-
Spencer John Palmer
-
- was a Mormon temple endowment ceremony actor, BYU professor, mission president, temple president, LDS church area authority; posthumously accused of child sexual abuse by his grandson.
- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Case report »
-
-
Stephen Wayne Stokes
-
- was a Mormon church member and Brigham Young University-Idaho (BYU-I) professor; accused of sexual assault by a former student; died in 2016; in 2022, civil lawsuit against BYU-I was dismissed with prejudice.
- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil: Civil case dismissed, Civil case dismissed with prejudice,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Alleged crime: 2010s, in Idaho,
- Case report »
-
-
Sterling Gray Van Wagenen
-
- Alleged coverup
- was a co-founder of Sundance Film Festival and director of some Mormon temple endowment videos; publicly accused of sexual abuse of two children in two separate instances; sentenced to prison in 2019 for child sexual abuse.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Victims: 2 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 1990s, 2010s, in Utah,
- Convicted: 2010s, 2019,
- Case report »
-
-
Kenne Worthen
-
- 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 »
-
Add information
If you would like to add or correct any information, please fill out the form below.
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.
Visit the FLOODLIT Map