Former Chicago area Mormon figure Wade Christofferson, accused of molesting children he came into contact with through a far northwest suburban congregation as well as out of state, is likely going to be staying in jail until his trial starts or a potential plea deal is reached, based on a recent ruling by a federal judge.
The brother of a high-ranking leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City where the denomination is based, Christofferson has been held in jail in Ohio since shortly after his arrest in late 2025 on child sex exploitation charges stemming from the alleged abuse of two children, one in Ohio, one in Utah.
He asked that a judge let him, while the case is pending, get out of jail and return to his Dublin, Ohio, home so he could better attend to a variety of ailments, court records show.
Prosecutors opposed his release, and the judge sided with them at a recent detention hearing — and denied Christofferson’s request to leave Butler County Jail.
“The Court finds the government satisfies its burden by both clear and convincing evidence and a preponderance of the evidence,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Chelsey M. Vascura concluded.
“There are no conditions of release that would reasonably assure Defendant’s appearance and the safety of the community. Defendant is REMANDED to the custody of the United States Marshals pending trial.”
Federal prosecutor Emily Czerniejewski also revealed at the hearing that authorities have learned of other potential victims of Christofferson, though officials haven’t revealed how many more they are aware of and whether there could be additional charges lodged.
Reflecting Vascura’s detention ruling, a court document states: “Evidence proffered reflects searches by Defendant about leaving the country when learned of charges about him. Proffered evidence reflects additional victims at church where he held leadership roles. Attempted suicide after learning of charges. Some of alleged activity occurred by mail and phone calls. Other alleged conduct includes sexual assault of very young children.”
A church watchdog called Floodlit says online it’s aware of Christofferson “sexually abusing up to 12 children in Illinois, Ohio and Utah between 1985-2025.”
The Chicago Sun-Times has interviewed a former Woodstock man who says he was involved in Christofferson’s excommunication from the faith group in the 1990s over allegations — and alleged admissions — that Christofferson molested one or more children in McHenry County.
Christofferson was quickly reinstated to the church and at some point restored to leadership after he moved to Ohio and a new congregation there.
The Salt Lake Tribune recently released a story about a woman who says she was molested by Christofferson when she was a child and congregant in the Chicago area.
The article says the woman “remains a committed member of the faith” and “the recent criminal charges against Wade Christofferson are what compelled her to come forward.”
“She argues that her experience” — including an apathetic response from the church when she came forward — “is evidence that reform is needed to better protect members from predators in the pews.”
The Sun-Times wrote a letter to Christofferson through the jail but hasn’t heard back. His attorneys haven’t returned calls and emails.
Also declining so far to discuss the case has been Christofferson’s brother, D. Todd Christofferson, one of three members of the Latter-day Saints’ “first presidency” that runs the faith. Through a spokesman, D. Todd Christofferson has acknowledged learning in or about 2020 that his brother may have molested children in prior years but not telling police or child welfare authorities out of respect for the wishes of the accusers who were by that time adults.
D. Todd Christofferson also apparently didn’t tell other church leaders, and his brother was allowed to stay a member and leader of an Ohio congregation without congregants knowing that he may be a danger.
Wade Christofferson’s charges relate to alleged child sexual abuse that occurred over the last year or two, though those crimes may not have been directly related to the church.
Court records have indicated a plea agreement may be in the works, but the status of any talks is unclear.