By Diane Aikele
Two brothers from Oregon have filed a $6.5 million lawsuit against the LDS church and the Boy Scouts of America for alleged sexual abuse in the 1980s by Timur Van Dykes, their former home teacher and Scout leader.
The lawsuit filed alleged charges that the church and the Boy Scouts are responsible for the abuse because Dykes was an authorized representative of both groups in the 1980s.
According to court records, Dykes was convicted in 1994 in Multnomah County on 16 counts of sodomy and sexual abuse. After serving 80 months in prison, he was released and is now serving probation until 2013, said Robb Freda-Cowie, spokesman for the Multnomah County Department of Community Justice.
The Multnomah County Department of Community Justice Web site provides a profile of Timur Van Dykes as a predatory sex offender, convicted of at least 23 sexual crimes against boys since 1985. All information concerning his charges is available to the public.
According to the Web site, Dykes “gains access to victims through positions of trust (Boy Scouts, church membership, befriending single mothers); targets vulnerable boys and families; has used intimidation and threats to maintain victim compliance.”
In a statement, church attorney Steve English of Portland gave the church”s standpoint on child abuse.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints condemns child abuse and does not tolerate such actions by anyone affiliated with our faith. … The church adamantly denies allegations of responsibility in this case and will defend itself vigorously,” the statement reads.
Don Cornell, spokesman for the Cascade Pacific Council of the Boy Scouts of America, said the organization had no comment on the lawsuit.
