Raise Awareness with FLOODLIT
April 16, 2025
FLOODLIT is fundraising so we can continue to operate.
To chip in, visit: https://floodlit.org/donate
You can also use Venmo or PayPal.
Thank you for your support!
Donation options »19 Mormon sexual abuse cases found
Larren Arnold
-
- was a Mormon church member and scout leader in Idaho; in 1984, arrested for lewd conduct with a minor under sixteen (molested a nine year-old boy) in Idaho; convicted in October 1984; received a five year suspended sentence and three years probation; the Mormon church made a settlement payment to a victim in approximately 2007.
- Learn more »
Alleged coverup-
LDS church payment: Undisclosed amount
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: Lawsuit v. LDS church, Unknown result,
- Positions: Scout leader,
- Crime: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, in Idaho,
-
Wyman Blankenship
-
- was a Mormon church member; scout leader, pleaded guilty to molesting boys.
- Learn more »
- Criminal: Convicted, Parole, Released,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Positions: Scout leader,
- Crime: 1960s, in California,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
-
Dennis Collins
-
- was an LDS church member; pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse.
- Learn more »
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Positions: Scout leader,
- Crime: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, in Washington,
-
Luke Dalton
-
- was a Mormon church member; admitted to sexually abusing dozens of boys over decades in Ohio, Montana and Utah; arrested in 1997 in Utah for sexually abusing his only son; convicted and sentenced to prison; served 3.5 years in prison.
- Learn more »
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Positions: Scout leader,
- Crime: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, in Montana, Ohio, Utah,
-
Joel Houck
-
- was an LDS church member in California; accused in the 1960s of sexual abuse; convicted of vagrancy in 1966 and served 10 days in jail; in 1967, placed in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) "perversion files".
- Learn more »
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Positions: Scout leader,
- Alleged crime: 1960s, in California,
-
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.
- Learn more »
- 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,
-
Franklin Mathias
-
- was a former Mormon church member and Boy scout leader in Oregon; had a career as a schoolteacher; accused in 1987 of sexual abuse; sentenced in 1988 to four years in prison for molesting a child; he said that he had 242 victims over a 30 year period.
- Learn more »
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Civil: Unknown result,
- Positions: Scout leader,
- Crime: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, in Oregon,
- Crime scenes: Scout activity,
-
F N
-
- was an LDS bishop in California; in 2024, accused in a civil lawsuit of child sexual abuse; the suit was one of 91 or more coordinated civil suits filed in California in 2024 against the Mormon church.
- Learn more »
- Alleged coverup
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Civil: Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Positions: Bishop,
- Alleged crime: 1960s, 1970s, in California,
- Crime scenes: LDS building, Perpetrator's home,
-
Vernon Sanford
-
- was an LDS church member in San Diego, California; died in 2000; in 2024, accused in a civil lawsuit of child sexual abuse, along with his son, Vernon Sanford Jr; the suit was one of 91 or more coordinated civil suits filed in California in 2024 against the Mormon church; the alleged abuse occurred between 1961 and 1970; the Sanfords were the plaintiff's LDS home teachers.
- Learn more »
- Alleged coverup
- Criminal: Never charged,
- Civil: Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Positions: Other leader,
- Alleged crime: 1960s, 1970s, in California,
- Crime scenes: LDS building, Perpetrator's home, Vehicle,
-
Vernon Sanford
-
- was an LDS church member in San Diego, California; died in 2000; in 2024, accused in a civil lawsuit of child sexual abuse, along with his father, Vernon Sanford Sr; the suit was one of 91 or more coordinated civil suits filed in California in 2024 against the Mormon church; the alleged abuse occurred between 1961 and 1970; the Sanfords were the plaintiff's LDS home teachers.
- Learn more »
- Alleged coverup
- Criminal: Never charged,
- Civil: Lawsuit v. LDS church, Ongoing,
- Positions: Unknown position,
- Alleged crime: 1960s, 1970s, in California,
- Crime scenes: LDS building, Perpetrator's home, Vehicle,
-
William Schubeck
-
- was a Mormon church member in California; accused of sexual abuse.
- Learn more »
- Alleged coverup
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Civil: Lawsuit v. LDS church,
- Positions: Unknown position,
- Alleged crime: 1960s, in California,
-
Orin Searle
-
- was an LDS church member in Ogden, Utah; accused of sexual abuse in 2013 but was deemed incompetent to stand trial; a victim said that Searle's predatory behavior began as early as the late 1950s, and that several family members, and multiple members of the LDS 44th Ward (Mount Ogden Stake), knew that Searle was a child molester but did nothing to stop him; died in 2014.
- Learn more »
- Alleged coverup
- Criminal: Not convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Positions: Bishopric counselor, Elders quorum, High priest, Other leader, Temple worker,
- Alleged crime: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, in Utah,
-
Charles Shield
-
- was an LDS ward executive secretary in England and Scotland; accused of sexual abuse; convicted; sentenced in 2017 to six years in prison.
- Learn more »
- Alleged coverup
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Positions: Ward executive secretary,
- Crime: 1960s, 1970s, in England, United Kingdom,
-
William Shubeck
-
- was a Mormon church member in San Bernardino, California; accused 2003 of sexual abuse in a civil lawsuit against the LDS church.
- Learn more »
- Alleged coverup
- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil: Lawsuit v. LDS church, Unknown result,
- Positions: Unknown position,
- Alleged crime: 1960s, in California,
- Crime scenes: Victim's home,
-
Unknown Survivor
-
- FLOODLIT honors every survivor, and remembers those who were never heard..
- Learn more »
- Criminal: Convicted, Never charged, Not convicted, Ongoing, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Unknown result,
- Crime: 1800s, 1900 to 1949, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s,
-
George Tilson
-
- was a Mormon church member in the Salt Lake City, Utah area (including Holladay); pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse in the 1990s; alleged coverup by Mormon leaders.
- Learn more »
- Alleged coverup
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: Lawsuit v. LDS church, Unknown result,
- Positions: High priest, Scout leader,
- Crime: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, in Utah,
-
Robert White
-
- was a Mormon missionary in South Dakota in the late 1960s; in 2008, a civil lawsuit filed against the Mormon church said he sexually abused a boy while on his mission.
- Learn more »
- Alleged coverup
-
LDS church payment: Undisclosed amount
- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil: Lawsuit v. LDS church, Settlement, Unknown result,
- Positions: Missionary,
- Alleged crime: 1960s, in South Dakota,
-
Emmett White
-
- was a Mormon church member and scout leader in Florida; was caught in 1966 by local police soliciting an adult sex worker (prostitute); denied any inappropriate behavior around scouts.
- Learn more »
- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Positions: Scout leader,
- Alleged crime: 1960s, in Florida,
-
LaVar Withers
-
- 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.
- Learn more »
- 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,
-
Add information
If someone you know was harmed by the person listed on this page, or if you would like us to add or correct any information, please fill out the form below. We will keep you anonymous. You can also contact us directly.
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