LOGAN (AP) -- The Cache County attorney says he won't be able to prosecute three LDS bishops who may have failed to report allegations of child abuse.
Jay Toombs, 44, of Benson, faces three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child for allegedly fondling a 10-year-old boy in 1993 and 1994. He is also charged with inappropriate conduct with another child.Cache County Attorney Scott Wyatt has expressed concern that three clergy members knew about the alleged abuse.
On Wednesday, Wyatt expanded those concerns to include "at least a dozen" people, including family members, a counselor and the bishops.
But Wyatt also said his office will be unable to prosecute any of the alleged failure-to-report cases because the statute of limitations has expired.
Utah's time limit for prosecuting misdemeanors is two years, but the Legislature extended the statute of limitations to four years for this specific charge. But even at four years, the deadline has already passed.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are encouraged to tell their bishops about serious violations of church doctrine, which sometimes involve criminal acts.
Those conversations are private. But bishops are obligated to report crimes when they learn of them from people other than the alleged offender, Wyatt said.
Toombs is due to appear in court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.