1970s

50 Mormon sexual abuse cases

Crime years: 1970s

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Larren Bybee 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.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, in Idaho,
- Convicted: 1980s,
- LDS church payment: Yes (undisclosed amount)
- Case report »
Eric Patrick Avant
- was a Mormon church member and cub scout leader in Norfolk, Virginia; convicted on 14 counts of aggravated sexual battery; sentenced in 1988 to 26 years in prison for molesting eight boys; had as many as 41 alleged victims.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 1970s, in Virginia,
- Convicted: 1900 to 1979,
- LDS church payment: $2,000,000
- Case report »
Robert Ersol Berchtold
- was a Mormon church member in Idaho; sexually abused a child; in 1986, was found guilty of rape of a child and spent one year in jail.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Victim's home,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, in Idaho,
- Convicted: 1980s,
- Case report »
Arthur Gary Bishop
- was a Mormon boy scout leader in Utah; was excommunicated in the 1970s; later molested multiple children and killed five young boys; was sentenced to death by lethal injection in 1988.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, in Utah,
- Convicted: 1980s,
- Case report »
Joseph Layton Bishop
- was a Mormon church member and president of the Provo, Utah Missionary Training Center (MTC) in the 1980s; allegedly sexually abused multiple sister missionaries; not criminally charged because the statute of limitations had expired (in 1984, the legal deadline in Utah for filing a rape charge was four years); civil lawsuit was dismissed after an agreement by the plaintiff and the LDS church.
- Criminal: Police investigation,
- Civil: Civil case dismissed, Civil case dismissed with prejudice,
- Victims: Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: LDS church building,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, 1980s, in Utah,
- Case report »
Douglas Ray Bowen
- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member and Boy Scout leader in Washington, California, Utah and Idaho; was convicted of attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 1970s, in Utah,
- Convicted: 1990s,
- Case report »
William Guymon Bruhn
- was an LDS church member and civic leader in Utah; accused of masturbating in a public restroom; convicted.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: Unknown number of victims,
- Crime scenes: Public building,
- Crime: 1970s, in Utah,
- Convicted: 1900 to 1979,
- Case report »
Max Todd Cheatham
- was an LDS church member in Utah and Colorado; accused of sexual abuse; convicted in Colorado of child sexual abuse.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, 100 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Perpetrator's home,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming,
- Convicted: 1990s,
- Case report »
Dennis David Collins
- was an LDS church member; pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, in Washington,
- Convicted: 1900 to 1979,
- Case report »
Luke Elbert 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.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, in Montana, Ohio, Utah,
- Convicted: 1990s,
- Case report »
John Doe
- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS stake mission president; accused by Mormon leader Vaughn Featherstone in 1975 of child sexual abuse of "many, many Aaronic Priesthood boys" in Doe's stake.
- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted, Unknown result,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Alleged crime: 1970s,
- Case report »
Alan Craig Dunlap
- was a Mormon church member in Fresno, California; pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime: 1970s, in California,
- Case report »
Stephen D Field
- Alleged coverup
- was a Mormon church member; accused of sexual abuse; sentenced to prison.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, in California,
- Convicted: 1980s,
- Case report »
Jayne Allen Furness
- was a Mormon church member and boy scout leader in Arroyo Grande, California; accused of sex abuse; found guilty of voyeurism charges in or before 1972, and found guilty of sexual abuse charges in 1976; sentenced in 1976 or 1977 to prison; died in 1987.
- Criminal: Convicted, Found guilty, Prison,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime: 1970s, in California,
- Convicted: 1900 to 1979,
- Case report »
Billy Joe Hagen
- was a Mormon church member and scout leader in Idaho; accused of sexual abuse; convicted, sentenced to prison; died in 2005.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime: 1970s, in Idaho,
- Convicted: 1900 to 1979,
- Case report »
Dustin Hall
- Alleged coverup
- was a Mormon church member in Washington state; accused of sexually abusing boys in the Shelton Ward near Olympia.
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Civil: Unknown result,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime scenes: Recreational trip/outing, Scout activity/event,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, in Washington,
- Case report »
William Harding
- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member and former Mormon bishop and ward clerk in Tasmania, Australia and Queensland, Australia; charged in or before 2023 with multiple counts of sexual assault of a minor in two states in Australia.
- Criminal: Ongoing, Unknown result,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, in Australia,
- Case report »
Kenneth Morgan Harper
- was an LDS church member; accused of sexual abuse.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, in California,
- Convicted: 1990s,
- Case report »
James Francis Hogan
- Alleged coverup
- 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.
- Criminal: Convicted, Pleaded guilty, Prison, Released,
- Civil: Settlement,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime scenes: LDS church building,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, in Oregon,
- Convicted: 1980s,
- LDS church payment: Yes (undisclosed amount)
- Case report »
Allan Turner Howe
- was an LDS church member and Utah politician; accused of a sex crime; convicted.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 2 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 1970s, in Utah,
- Convicted: 1900 to 1979,
- 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 »
Doyle Clarence Kelstrom
- Alleged coverup
- was a Mormon church member in Oregon and Utah; accused of child sexual abuse; sentenced in 1992 to five years to life in prison in Utah.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison, Probation,
- Victims: 4 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, 2000s,
- Case report »
William Eugene Knox
- Alleged coverup
- was a Mormon church member and scout leader; accused of sexually abusing multiple children.
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Civil: lawsuit against LDS church, Unknown result,
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, 1980s, in California,
- Case report »
Arthur Noel Krigbaum
- was an LDS church member and scout leader in Idaho; accused of sexual abuse.
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, in Idaho,
- Case report »
Jack LaHolt
- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member and Boy scout leader in Kent, Washington; accused of sexual abuse in the 1970s; court records show that two Mormon bishops knew about the abuse allegations but did not tell police.
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Civil: Unknown result,
- Victims: Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Scout activity/event,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, in Washington,
- Case report »
Dennis Joe Loveless
- was a Mormon church member in Farmington, Utah; accused of sexual abuse in 1977 and 1984; sentenced to prison both times; died in 2016.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Victims: 2 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, in Utah,
- Convicted: 1900 to 1979, 1980s,
- Case report »
Franklin Leon 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.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Civil: Unknown result,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, 100 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Scout activity/event,
- Crime: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, in Oregon,
- Convicted: 1980s,
- Case report »
Timothy O'Sean McCleve
- was a former Mormon bishop in Harrisville, Utah when he was charged with sexually abusing three children; some of the abuse took place while he was bishop; sentenced in 2008 to up to 30 years in prison for child sexual abuse; in 2024, charged in Utah with threatening a witness in a parole violation investigation.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Victims: 4 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Victim's home,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, in Utah,
- Convicted: 2000s, 2008,
- Case report »
Melvin E McKinney
- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member; accused of sexual abuse.
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, in California,
- Case report »
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.
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Civil: lawsuit against LDS church, Ongoing civil case,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime scenes: LDS church building, Perpetrator's home,
- Alleged crime: 1960s, 1970s, in California,
- Case report »
David James O'Connor
- was an LDS church member and high school wrestling coach in Tacoma, Washington; convicted of sexual abuse in 1977; once reportedly confessed his sexual abuse in an LDS sacrament meeting.
- Criminal: Admitted guilt, Convicted, Unknown result,
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime: 1970s, in Washington,
- Convicted: 1900 to 1979,
- Case report »
Chesley Nels Pierson
- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS bishop, stake presidency counselor and stake patriarch in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; accused of sexually abusing multiple young men.
- Criminal: Police investigation, Unknown result,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, in Canada,
- Case report »
Richard Kenneth Ray
- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member in Arizona; sentenced to prison for sexually abusing children; the LDS church was involved in a lawsuit regarding clergy-penitent privilege; the church settled out of court.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: Settlement,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Perpetrator's home,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, in Arizona,
- LDS church payment: Yes (undisclosed amount)
- Case report »
Gary Fuller Reese
- Alleged coverup
- was a Mormon bishopric counselor, seminary teacher and Boy scoutmaster; accused of sexually molesting several boys in his scout troops.
- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil: Civil case dismissed with prejudice,
- Victims: Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, in Washington,
- Case report »
Leroy Harvey Richins
- was a Mormon church member; accused of sexual abuse.
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, in Utah,
- Case report »
James Phillip Schmidt
- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member and scout leader, with multiple charges of child sexual abuse over six years; convicted in the late 1990s in Maryland; as of 2024, registered as a sex offender.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: Unknown result,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, in Idaho,
- Convicted: 1980s, 1990s,
- Case report »
Orin Ervin Searle
- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member; accused of sexual abuse.
- Criminal: Not convicted, Unknown result,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Alleged crime: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, in Utah,
- Case report »
Frank John Selas
- was an former childrens TV host/entertainer who joined the LDS church in the 1990's; pleaded guilty to one count of indecent behavior with a child; the crime took place in the 1970s .
- Criminal: Convicted, Pleaded guilty,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime scenes: Recreational trip/outing,
- Crime: 1970s, in California,
- Case report »
Charles Brian Shield
- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS ward executive secretary in England and Scotland; accused of sexual abuse; convicted; sentenced in 2017 to six years in prison.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime: 1960s, 1970s, in England, United Kingdom,
- Convicted: 2010s, 2017,
- Case report »
Michael Simms
- was a Latter-day Saints (LDS) church member, organist and music teacher in Oregon; accused in a civil lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy about 100 times between 1974 and 1976.
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Civil: Unknown result,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime scenes: LDS church building,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, in Oregon,
- Case report »
Stewart Leroy Singley
- was an LDS church member in Ohio; convicted in 1975 of child molestation that occurred in 1974; in 1997, convicted and sentenced to one year in jail or prison; as of 2024, is a registered sex offender; lives in East Waterford, Pennsylvania.
- Criminal: Convicted, Plea agreement, Pleaded guilty, Registered sex offender, Released,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
- Crime: 1970s, 1990s, in Ohio,
- Convicted: 1900 to 1979, 1990s,
- Case report »
Michael Terry Stillman
- Alleged coverup
- was a Mormon Tabernacle Choir member and professional scouter with the Boy Scouts of America in Monroe, Sevier County, Utah; accused in 1989 of having sexually abused a boy between the ages of 13 and 15 in the mid-1970s; decided to resign as district scout executive as long as it did not imply guilt; was never reported to police or charged with a crime.
- Criminal: Never charged,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 1 victim,
- Crime scenes: Perpetrator's home,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, in Utah,
- Case report »
Larry W Strain
- was a Mormon church member; accused of sexual abuse.
- Criminal: Unknown result,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 3 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, in Missouri,
- Case report »
Unknown Survivor
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- Criminal: Convicted, Never charged, Not convicted, Ongoing, Unknown result,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, 100 or more victims, Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime: 1800s, 1900 to 1949, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s,
- Case report »
John Tholen
- was a Mormon church member; sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually abusing children he babysat with his wife Judith Tholen, who also sexually abused them.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s,
- Convicted: 1980s,
- Case report »
Judith Tholen
- was a Mormon church member; sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually abusing children she babysat with her husband John Tholen, who also sexually abused them.
- Criminal: Convicted, Prison,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime: 1970s, 1980s,
- Convicted: 1980s,
- Case report »
George Kermit Tilson
- Alleged coverup
- 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.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: lawsuit against LDS church, Unknown result,
- Victims: Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
- Crime: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, in Utah,
- Convicted: 1990s,
- Case report »
Jay Toombs
- Alleged coverup
- was an LDS church member and private investigator in Benson, Cache Valley, Utah; accused of sexual abuse; allegations of his abuse were reportedly known to three LDS bishops and stake president Jerry Toombs (his older brother), who never reported it to police; convicted in 2000 and sentenced to life in prison.
- Criminal: Never charged, Unknown result,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, in Utah,
- Convicted: 2000, 2000s,
- Case report »
LaVar Madsen Withers
- Alleged coverup
- 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.
- Criminal: Convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: 10 or more victims, 100 or more victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Healthcare appointment,
- Crime: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, in Idaho,
- Convicted: 1990s,
- Case report »
Orson Davis Wright
- was a Mormon mission president in Sydney, Australia from 1978 to 1980; accused of grooming some of the sister missionaries in his care to be his polygamous wives; removed early from his mission assignment; LDS church leaders in Salt Lake City, Utah allegedly covered up the reasons for Wright's removal.
- Criminal: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil: No civil case,
- Victims: Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: Unknown crime scene,
- Alleged crime: 1970s, 1980s, in Australia,
- Case report »

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