LDS Mormon bishop dismissed over sexual abuse allegation

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A gold leaf statue of the Angel Moroni sits atop the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple in Meridian in July 2016. A bishop from a ward in Nampa was removed from office his duties after allegations of child sexual abuse surfaced. Kyle Green’s Idaho Statesman File

A bishop of the 30th Ward of Nampas of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been removed from his post after allegations he sexually abused two minors. He has since been charged with two counts of obscene conduct with a child and two counts of child sexual abuse, court records show.

Dylan Kevin Whiting, 33, of Nampa, served as a lay bishop in the LDS Church from December 2019 until January 2021, when he was removed from office after the church learned of allegations against him , according to a church spokesperson. The 30th District of Nampas is located in the Nampa Idaho East Stake, a larger district made up of several electoral districts.

According to an affidavit from the Nampa Police Department, the two people in the Whitings case are known to him personally rather than through his involvement in the church. The abuses are said to have occurred between 2011 and 2020.

Whiting has been charged with sexually touching two underage girls, according to a criminal complaint. Obscene conduct with a minor carries a sentence of life in prison, while sexual abuse of children carries a penalty of up to 25 years.

In the LDS Church, a bishop is an unpaid leader of a local congregation called a ward who oversees the spiritual and social needs of members of his ward, according to the church’s website. Bishops typically serve for about five years and are assisted by two counselors. The three individuals are together called the bishopric.

After learning of the allegations in early January, Church officials immediately took action to remove the individual from his post as a lay leader in the Church, said Sam Penrod, Church spokesperson in Salt Lake City. , in an e-mailed statement to the Idaho Statesman. No abuse is tolerated in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Anyone who engages in such behavior is rightly liable to criminal prosecution and also faces disciplinary action by the Church, including loss of Church membership.

Faith has refused to say whether Whiting is still a member.

Whiting was arraigned in Canyon County District Court on all four felony counts on April 12. On April 15, he posted a $ 100,000 bond. On June 28, he pleaded not guilty to all four counts and the case was referred to mediation on September 3, according to court records. A no-contact order with the two individuals is active while the case is ongoing, until 2023.

Attempts to reach Whiting by email and telephone were unsuccessful.

In legal mediation, a neutral arbiter, a judge, helps those involved to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. Participation in mediation is voluntary and can be used to resolve some or all of the issues in a case, according to the Idaho Supreme Court. Mediations are also confidential and the arbitrators involved do not preside over any future proceedings related to the case.

Mediation in this case is set for September 22.

This story was originally posted on September 15, 2021 at 3:48 p.m. ET.

Related Stories from the Idaho Statesman Ian Max Stevenson is an Idaho Statesman reporter. If you enjoy seeing stories like this, consider supporting our work with a subscription to our journal. Support my work with a digital subscription

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