Sexual assault of a child should be reported to law enforcement, something prosecutors are alleging a Mormon bishop neglected to do. The bishop reportedly counseled a teenage girl from his congregation to not report a sexual assault where she says that she was the victim. The girl told her parents about the alleged assault after talking to her bishop, at which point her parents filed a complaint with local authorities.
Criminal Charges
Now, the bishop has been charged with witness tampering and failure to report child abuse. Witness tampering is a third-degree felony and is punishable by up to five years in prison. Failure to report child abuse is a class B misdemeanor, and if an individual is found guilty, that person could serve up to six months in jail.
Reporting Child Abuse
In Utah, any suspected abuse of a child requires mandatory reporting to law enforcement. Concerning clergy, Utah law states that, “When a clergyman or priest receives information about abuse or neglect from any source other than confession of the perpetrator, the clergyman or priest is required to give notification on the basis of that information even though the clergyman or priest may have also received a report of abuse or neglect from the confession of the perpetrator.”
It would be imprudent to make a judgment without knowing the bishop’s side of the story. We don’t know exactly what the girl told the bishop about the alleged assault.
Who’s the Real Criminal?
One thing to make note of is that no mention has been made about the alleged perpetrator of the assault on the girl. Who is he? Is he going to be charged as well, or is law enforcement only looking to make an example of a clergyman who erred in not reporting an allegation of sexual assault? Perhaps authorities need to concentrate on the person who may have actually committed the abuse and continue working to make sure that all Utah citizens, not just clergy, know of their responsibility when it comes to reporting suspected child abuse.
Don’t forget the bottom line: everyone is considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Additionally, let’s make sure the punishment fits the crime.
Call a Utah criminal defense attorney immediately if you have been charged with any crime, sexual assault or otherwise. Don’t wait for law enforcement to sort out the issues. Get the advice of someone who will be on your side.







