SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill has brought sexual assault charges against a former bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to a press release from the DA’s Office.
Mark Lehnhof Stevens, 68, is charged in Salt Lake County with forcible sodomy (first-degree felony) and two counts of forcible sexual abuse (second-degree felony).
In 2006, Stevens, a former bishop of the LDS Church, assaulted the victim when she was 16 years old, according to the DA’s Office. The victim was reportedly a member of the church, and Stevens was her bishop.
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At the time, Stevens had allegedly asked the victim to meet with him to “discuss her leadership role” within the church. The victim met with Stevens in his office, where he began asking her about her personal sexual behavior, officials said.
Stevens allegedly then told the victim that she would be expected to “keep her future husband sexually satisfied,” and that if her husband had issues with sin, God would “hold her accountable,” according to the DA’s Office. After telling her this, Stevens allegedly walked around his desk and sexually assaulted the victim.
After the assault, Stevens reportedly laughed and said to the victim, “You’re just so innocent, aren’t you?” He also reiterated that as her bishop, God had instructed him to “teach her how to keep her husband satisfied,” officials said.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill has released the following statement on the matter:
Churches are sacred spaces in our community. Children need to be protected, and it is incumbent on all of us to safeguard these spaces for our children. I want to thank this brave victim-survivor for coming forward and reporting this alleged abuse. If you are a survivor of sexual assault, I encourage you to report it to law enforcement. All persons accused of wrongdoing are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Stephens was booked into Salt Lake County Jail on the aforementioned charges.
Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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