Religious Leader Charged for Alleged 2006 Sexual Assault

Today, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced that charges have been filed against Mark Lehnhof Stevens for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor while he served as a religious leader for her.

In 2006, when L.B. was about 16 years old, she was asked by the defendant to meet with him to discuss her leadership role within the church. The victim-survivor met the defendant in his office at the church. The defendant began asking the teen about sex and her personal sexual behavior. The defendant told L.B. that she would be expected to keep her future husband sexually satisfied and if her husband had issues with sin, God would hold her accountable. The defendant then walked around the desk and proceeded to sexually assault L.B.

Following the assault, the defendant laughed and told L.B., “you’re just so innocent, aren’t you?” The defendant re-iterated that as her bishop, God had told him he needed to “teach her how to keep her husband satisfied.”

The defendant is charged with one count of first-degree felony forcible sodomy and two counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse.

“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,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. “All persons accused of wrongdoing are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.”