WEST JORDAN, Utah — A man, who said he was once a bishop and stake president in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was arrested last month and charged Monday with several counts of sexually abusing a young child.
Ronald Charles Jones, 88, was charged with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a 1st-degree felony. He also received another 1st-degree felony charge of child kidnapping, along with two misdemeanors: unlawful kissing of a child and lewdness involving a child.
The investigation began after the victim — a 6-year-old girl — told her mom about the alleged abuse by Jones. According to court documents, the mom asked her daughter on July 12 what she was doing at Jones' house three days prior, when she saw the girl's bicycle outside Jones' home. The girl told her mom that Jones kissed her on the lips, and she did not like it. She also told her mom that Jones touched her private parts.
The girl's mom contacted Child and Family Services, which then forwarded the report to West Jordan Police. The girl was later interviewed by a detective. She said she was riding her bike past Jones' house on July 9 when he invited her to come inside so he could give her candy. She added she had gone inside his house for candy before.
The victim told police that "Brother Jones" made her sit on his lap, kissed her on the lips multiple times, touched her private parts, and showed his private parts to her. She said she resisted Jones at least once, telling him that what he was trying to do was against the law.
Jones was interviewed by police last Tuesday, then booked into the Salt Lake County Jail. A judge ordered that he be held without bail; he was still in custody as of Monday, according to the sheriff's office records.
Police said Jones denied the allegations of abusing the girl. He did, however, admit that he often gives candy to children in the neighborhood and has them over at his house.
Jones told investigators that he has been a bishop, a stake president, and a temple worker in the LDS church. FOX 13 News reached out to the church Monday night to confirm whether he was a bishop and/or stake president. The church has not yet responded.
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Resources for sexual assault survivors:
- Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault hotline: 801-736-4356 (available 24/7)
- More resources available online at ucasa.org/resources
