Former Utah mayor, LDS bishop arrested after child sex abuse allegations

A one-time Utah mayor and former bishop for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was arrested Wednesday after police say he sexually abused at least three children.

Carl Johnson, 77, was arrested in Orem and booked into the Davis County jail on suspicion of seven counts of aggravated abuse of a child.

Police allege in a probable cause statement that Johnson was in a “position of trust” over the three alleged victims, who disclosed they were sexually abused as children between 1985 and 1996.

One alleged victim told police she was between 5 and 8 years old in 1996, when Johnson took her to a room away from others in his home and touched her body, telling her to “stay quiet and not tell anyone about what happened.”

Another alleged victim reported Johnson inappropriately touched her in a shower when she was 5 years old in the mid-1980s. And a third said she was a preteen in 1993, when Johnson allegedly laid in bed with her and touched her inappropriately.

Davis County investigators allege Johnson admitted to inappropriate touching when interviewed by police and estimated he had assaulted more than six children, as young as 2 years old.

“Johnson admitted that he has a problem of controlling his sexual urges and has struggled with this problem for most of his life,” Deputy Kurt Jemmett wrote in a probable cause statement.

Sam Penrod, a spokesperson for the Latter-day Saints faith, did not answer questions sent in an email about whether the church knew about the allegations against Johnson or took any disciplinary action.

“The allegations against this individual are serious and deeply troubling,” he said in a statement. “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has no tolerance for abuse of any kind. Those who engage in abusive behavior are rightfully subject to prosecution by legal authorities and also face loss of Church membership.”

Jemmett asked that a judge keep Johnson in custody, noting that the man has held “numerous positions of trust” as a lay bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and as a previous mayor of West Bountiful in the 1990s. He noted that there are other allegations of abuse that are still being investigated.

Judge Ronald Russell ordered Johnson be held without bail, finding it would be a “substantial danger” to the community if he were released.