Former Mormon Bishop Arrested on 18 Felony Charges of Child Sexual Abuse

A 76-year-old former bishop has been arrested on 18 felony charges, all involving allegations that he sexually violated children under his care while serving in a position of trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The charges, which include non-forcible sexual assaults, stem from a 10-year period from 1991 to 2001 and involve four alleged victims. Prosecutors announced the case against Michael Delar Morris on Thursday, a week after police records indicate he was arrested in Chowchilla and is set to be extradited to the Bay Area. He remains in custody with bail set at $920,000.

The allegations, though decades old, fall within the extended statute of limitations for crimes involving the sexual abuse of children under California law. District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson issued a statement calling the alleged crimes “deeply troubling.” She emphasized the office’s commitment to pursuing justice for survivors of sexual abuse, regardless of how much time has passed, whenever the law permits prosecution.

Morris is charged with non-forcible sexual assaults, stemming from his role as a bishop in Livermore and his supervision of a church-affiliated boys’ youth group. Prosecutors in Alameda County stated that the charges are based on his position of trust within the church. A spokesman for the LDS church did not immediately return a request for comment.

In 2024, a San Jose-based law firm filed 91 lawsuits against the LDS church, including four based in Alameda County, as part of a coordinated effort over allegations of child sexual abuse that span several decades. Many of the suits were settled out of court, with accusations that church officials allowed bishops to molest children and failed to report abuse to police, instead directing reports to a church hotline. The suits often named “John Does” as defendants rather than identifying specific perpetrators or officials involved in cover-ups.

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