A former Latter-day Saint bishop faces felony charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl in his office nearly 20 years ago.
Mark Lehnhof Stevens, 68, of Washington, Utah, is charged in 3rd District Court in with one count of forcible sodomy, a first-degree felony, and two counts second-degree of forcible sexual abuse.
Between 2006 and 2007, Stevens allegedly asked the 16-year-old girl to meet with him to discuss her leadership role in church according to charging documents. The girl, identified in court documents only with initials, met with him in his office at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He allegedly told her he wanted to meet weekly.
He allegedly started asking the teen about sex and her personal sexual behavior. He told her she would be expected to keep her future husband sexually satisfied and if her husband had issues with pornography or sin, God would hold her accountable, the charges state.
Stevens then walked around the desk and sexually assaulted the girl, according to charging documents.
“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,” Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said in a statement.
“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.”
West Jordan police investigated the case.
“The church’s position is that abuse cannot be tolerated in any form and that those who abuse will be accountable before God,” according to the church’s website.