13 matching Mormon sex abuse cases

  • LDS position: Church employee
    • Timothy Bothell was a LDS church employee and stake high council member in Utah; pleaded guilty and was sentenced in 2013 to two years in jail for sexual abuse of two girls, ages 11 and 13
    • Michael 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
    • Mark Cram was a former Mormon bishop and stake presidency counselor, and city manager in Riverton, Utah; charged in 2006 with voyeurism; admitted climbing a 9-foot wall at a tanning salon to watch a 16-year-old girl undress; pleaded guilty; plea was held in abeyance; he completed the terms set by the court, charge was dismissed and case was expunged in 2008; as of February 2024, lives in Riverton, Utah
    • Alleged coverup
    • Elwood Haws was an employee and vice president of an LDS church-owned trust company in Utah; charged in 2020 with 13 second degree felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor (related to possession of child pornography); admitted that he viewed child pornography 3-4 times a week over a 3-4 year span; in 2021, pleaded guilty to three counts and was sentenced to 180 days in jail; in 2023, violated probation
    • James Hogan was a Mormon church member and scout leader in Oregon; in 1989, was sentenced to five years in prison for child sexual abuse; released in 1994; in 2011, a victim filed a civil lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America, seeking $5.2 million; the Mormon church settled with two victims for $800,000 and $75,000
    • Alleged coverup
    • LDS church payment: $875,000
    • Church discipline: Excommunicated,
    • Erik Hughes was a Mormon bishop in Mapleton, Utah and a Mormon church senior product manager when he sexually abused two underage children in his LDS ward dozens of times; was sentenced to prison in 2017; released in 2023; as of 2024, registered sex offender living in Utah
    • Alleged coverup
    • Ángel Jaramillo was an LDS church member in Jujuy, Argentina; arrested on child pornography and abuse charges (which includes distribution, tenancy, and production of material)
    • Melvin Johnson 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
    • Alleged coverup
    • LDS church payment: Undisclosed amount
    • Church discipline: Excommunicated, Rebaptized,
    • David Novak was an LDS Social Services counselor in Utah who worked for 12 years with child sexual abuse victims; convicted in 1999 of sexually abusing a girl; released from jail after serving about 40 days
    • Church discipline: Excommunicated,
    • Michael Pratt was an LDS seminary principal in Utah; arrested in 2009; convicted and sentenced in 2010 for the sexual abuse of a 16-year-old seminary student
    • Douglas Richens was former international director of the Mormon church's disability services and prison ministry; worked for the LDS church for 23 years; retired, became a professional life coach in Tooele, Utah; charged with sodomy on a child and aggravated sexual abuse; court ordered him held without bail as of Mar. 21, 2025
    • Richard Sampson was a Mormon bishop, stake high council member and doctor in Provo, Utah; was director of medical affairs for the LDS Missionary Training Center; allegedly sexually abused at least seven children; convicted and sentenced in 2014 to one to 15 years in prison for child sexual abuse; as of 2024, was out on parole living in Holladay, Utah
    • Alleged coverup

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.

Browse the Mormon Sexual Abuse Database

FLOODLIT.org has a free public database of hundreds of reports about people who committed or allegedly committed sex crimes, including sexual abuse, while they were active Mormon church members. You can browse the entire database by LDS church position, number of victims, places where crimes took place, criminal/civil case results, and other criteria.