Mormon sexual abuse cases: new updates

• Edwin Ellis Dyer
  • 
  • Edwin Dyer (1935 – 1986) was a Mormon church member and scoutmaster in central Oregon; accused of sexual abuse; allegedly molested as many as 15 boys over a 28-year period; convicted in 1985 of two misdemeanors related to sexual abuse; shot and killed in 1986 by one of his victims; the Mormon church settled out of court for $200,000 with one victim
  • View report »
  Church officials asked Dyer to resign as scoutmaster and later disfellowshipped and excommunicated him, but allegedly did not tell police
  • Crime: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime state: Oregon,
  • LDS positions: Scout leader,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Probation,
  • Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
  • Alleged failure to report
  "Until we use names, until people understand that this happened to Johnny next door, it will keep on happening."
  — Judith Powell, mother of abuse survivor Keith Powell
• Timur Van Dykes
  • 
  • Timur Dykes was a Mormon church member and scout leader in Portland, Oregon; accused of sexual abuse; reportedly admitted to molesting 17 boys; convicted multiple times; in 1987, three plaintiffs sued the Mormon church and the Boy Scouts of America; in about 2009, the Mormon church paid $350,000 to a victim to settle its portion of a civil lawsuit
  • View report »
  • Crime: 1980s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime state: Oregon,
  • LDS positions: Scout leader,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Probation,
  • Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
  • Alleged failure to report
• John Doe
  • 
  • John Doe (1961 – ) was an LDS church member and former Mormon bishop in Alabama, Alaska and Texas; in 2022 or 2023, confessed to child sexual abuse to his LDS bishop and stake president in Texas, according to a person familiar with the case; they reported him to local police in 2023; in 2024, a plaintiff filed a civil lawsuit against him; Doe and the church settled with the victim in 2025
  • View report »
  • LDS positions: Bishop,
  • Criminal case(s): Admitted guilt, Never charged, Not convicted,
  • Civil case(s): Settlement,
  • Alleged failure to report
• James Francis Hogan
  • 
  • James Hogan (1939 – ) was a Mormon scout leader in California and Oregon; in 1989, was sentenced to five years in prison for child sexual abuse; in 1989, two teenagers sued the church and Hogan (settled 1990); in 2002, two men sued the church and the BSA (church settled for $800,000 and $75,000); in 2011, a man sued the BSA for $5.2 million (he previously settled with the church); in all, 12 alleged victims 1967-1989
  • View report »
  • Crime: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime state: California, Oregon,
  • Convicted: 1989,
  • LDS positions: Church employee, Scout leader,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Released,
  • Civil case(s): Settlement,
  • Alleged failure to report
• Scott Kidman
  • 
  • Scott Kidman (1977 – ) was a Mormon church member in Cache County, Utah; investigated in 2015-16 for alleged sexual abuse of multiple children, but charges were never filed; arrested in 2025 for alleged object rape; allegedly repeatedly sexually abused at least four young girls over a period of several years
  • View report »
  • LDS positions: Unknown position,
  • Criminal case(s): Ongoing, Police investigation,
• William Scott Hanson
  • 
  • William Hanson (1962 – ) was a Mormon youth leader who allegedly sexually abused children in several US states, including Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Utah, Texas, Wisconsin and New Jersey; sentenced to prison for child sexual abuse; in the 2000s, the Mormon church settled a civil lawsuit in which the victim accused it of failing to protect him
  • View report »
  • Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime state: Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin,
  • LDS positions: High priest, Scout leader, Youth leader,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Probation,
  • Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
  • Alleged failure to report
• James F Adams
  • 
  • James Adams (1954 – ) was a Mormon church member in Beckley, West Virginia; sentenced to prison in 1994 for sexually abusing multiple children; in 1996, a $750 million lawsuit was filed against the Mormon church alleging coverup; the suit was settled out of court in 2000
  • View report »
  Abuse went on for five years after Adams first told Mormon officials, including a bishop and stake president, the lawsuit said
  • Crime: 1980s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime state: West Virginia,
  • Convicted: 1994,
  • LDS positions: Other leader,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison,
  • Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
  • Alleged failure to report
  "The church is not in the business of covering up."
  — Church spokesman Don LeFevre
• Maynard Scott McFarland
  • 
  • Maynard McFarland (1959 – ) was an LDS church member in California and Minnesota; sentenced in 2005 to 32 years in prison for sexually abusing his daughter for many years; released from prison in 2020; as of 2024, lives in Chula Vista, California as a registered sex offender
  • View report »
  • Crime: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime state: California, Minnesota,
  • Convicted: 2005,
  • LDS positions: Unknown position,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, Released,
  • Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
  • Alleged failure to report
• Thomas Joseph Opfar
  • 
  • Thomas Opfar (1937 – 1998) was a Mormon church member in Pennsylvania and Utah; pleaded guilty in Utah to charges related to child sexual abuse; sentenced to five to 15 years in prison
  • View report »
  • Crime: 1980s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime state: Utah,
  • LDS positions: Scout leader,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison,
• Dennis Walter Schult
  • 
  • Dennis Schult (1935 – ) was a Mormon church member and scout leader in southern California; pleaded no contest to two counts of child molestation as part of a plea agreement wherein six other molestation charges were dropped; sentenced in 1991 to eight years in prison for sexually abusing two of his scouts for several years; as of 2024, registered sex offender living in Granada Hills, California
  • View report »
  • Crime: 1980s, 1990s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime state: California,
  • Convicted: 1991,
  • LDS positions: Scout leader, Youth leader,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, No contest, Plea deal, Prison, Registered sex offender,
  • Alleged failure to report
• Alfred Gail Forrester
  • 
  • Alfred Forrester (1936 – 2013) was a Mormon church member in California; excommunicated in the 1950s after conviction for child molestation; moved to Iowa, reoffended, incarcerated; returned to California, convicted once or twice more, then assigned to be a Mormon church scoutmaster; abused again, caught, sentenced to prison in 1979; a 2024 lawsuit against the LDS church alleged that a bishop failed to protect kids
  • View report »
  2024 lawsuit said Mormon church excommunicated Forrester after child sex abuse conviction, then later re-baptized him and assigned him to work with kids
  • Crime: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime state: California, Iowa,
  • Convicted: 1956, 1960, 1966, 1979,
  • LDS positions: Scout leader,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Probation, Registered sex offender, Released,
  • Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
  • Alleged failure to report
• Chester Lewis Meek
  • 
  • Chester Meek was a Mormon bishop in Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada from 1990 to 1995; while bishop, he allegedly sexually sexual assaulted multiple female church members; at least one alleged incident of abuse occurred in the bishop's office inside an LDS church
  • View report »
  • Crime: 1990s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime country: Canada,
  • Convicted: 2000,
  • LDS positions: Bishop, Other leader,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted,
  • Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement,
• Martyn Conway
  • 
  • Martyn Conway was a Mormon church member in England; pleaded guilty of child sexual abuse; twin brother of John Patrick Conway, who also perpetrated child sexual abuse against the same victim
  • View report »
  • Crime: 1980s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime country: England, United Kingdom,
  • LDS positions: Unknown position,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty,
• John Patrick Conway
  • 
  • John Conway was a Mormon church member in Cambridge, UK; accused of child sexual abuse after his twin brother Martyn Conway was convicted of child sexual abuse; in both cases, the victim was the same underage boy
  • View report »
  • LDS positions: Unknown position,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Unknown result,
• Curt Boyack
  • 
  • Curt Boyack was an LDS church member in New Mexico; accused of sexual abuse; allegedly said he would turn himself in to police; died by suicide
  • View report »
  • Criminal case(s): Never charged, Not convicted, Suicide,
• James Glenn Haskell
  • 
  • James Haskell (1982 – ) was a former Mormon bishop and practicing attorney in Vacaville, California; charged with 14 felonies and three misdemeanors for allegedly sexually abusing four children; was an LDS stake high council member when charged; in June 2024, found not guilty of 16 of 17 counts; jurors deadlocked on one count of felony injury upon a child; as of October 2025, civil lawsuit is ongoing
  • View report »
  • Alleged crime: 2020s,
  • Places lived:
  • Alleged crime state: California,
  • LDS positions: Bishop, Scout leader, Stake high council,
  • Criminal case(s): Acquitted, Found not guilty, Hung jury, Ongoing,
  • Civil case(s): Ongoing,
• Ronald Alvin Jenkins
  • 
  • 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
  • View report »
  • Crime: 1990s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime state: Idaho,
  • LDS positions: Bishopric counselor, Scout leader, Stake high council,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Prison, Registered sex offender, Released,
  • Alleged failure to report
• David James Borg
  • 
  • David Borg was a Mormon church member and scout leader in New Jersey and Arizona; pleaded guilty in Arizona to molesting multiple boys; admitted to having at least 15 victims; sentenced to 34 years in prison; Borg's BSA "perversion file" suggested that the LDS church might bear "potential liability" since Borg said he had spoken with a "Brother Perry" at LDS Social Services; released in 2022, lives in Utah
  • View report »
  • Crime: 1980s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime state: Arizona,
  • Convicted: 1989,
  • LDS positions: Scout leader, Youth leader,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Released,
  • Alleged failure to report
• Richard Kent James
  • 
  • Richard James (1966 – ) was a Mormon church member in Potomac, Maryland; accused of sexually abusing a boy from 1995 to 1999 at billionaire Bill Marriott's home, an LDS church and other locations; pleaded guilty to reduced child abuse charges; sentenced to 10 years in prison (nine suspended); was a registered sex offender; the victim sued the church, Marriott and six others in 2024
  • View report »
  • Crime: 1990s,
  • Places lived:
  • Crime city: MD - Bethesda,
  • Crime state: Maine, Maryland, North Carolina,
  • Convicted: 2002,
  • LDS positions: Scout leader, Youth leader,
  • Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Registered sex offender, Released,
  • Civil case(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
  • Alleged failure to report
• Logan Edward Cornwell
  • 
  • Logan Cornwell (1991 – ) was a Mormon church member and dentist in Gilbert, Arizona; owned a Mesa dental office; accused in October 2025 of child sex trafficking and misconduct involving weapons
  • View report »
  • Alleged crime: 2020s,
  • Places lived:
  • Alleged crime county: AZ - Maricopa,
  • Alleged crime state: Arizona,
  • LDS positions: Unknown position,
  • Criminal case(s): Ongoing,

back to top

Are you near a Mormon sex offender?

See 750+ places where LDS church members allegedly perpetrated sex crimes and where LDS sex offenders live.

View the Floodlit Map