A routine session of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' semiannual General Conference at Temple Square took a jarring turn Saturday when, police say, a Salt Lake City man stripped naked in front of thousands of worshippers, including children. Authorities identified the man as 36-year-old Mitchell Dean Anderson. Church security covered him with a blanket before officers took him into custody, and he was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on an investigation of lewdness involving a child, according to police.
What police say
According to a police booking affidavit reviewed by KSL, Anderson "completely disrobed his clothes and was completely naked" on the Temple Square grounds. The affidavit states that both church security and a Salt Lake City police officer assigned to the event saw the incident.
As reported by FOX13, an SLCPD officer watching from a rooftop spotted Anderson, and church security quickly moved in to cover him with a blanket before officers booked him into jail. FOX13 also reports that bail was set at $1,000, with conditions requiring court appearances and check-ins with Criminal Justice Services.
Charges and legal context
Anderson was booked on suspicion of lewdness involving a child, an offense defined in Utah Code § 76-9-702.5 and generally classified as a Class A misdemeanor in Utah. The statute defines lewdness involving a child to include intentionally exposing genitals in the presence of a child under 14. In certain circumstances, such as prior qualifying convictions or if the person is a registered sex offender, the charge can be elevated to a third-degree felony.
What attendees saw and next steps
Temple Square typically draws large crowds for General Conference, and local reporting indicates children were among those nearby when Anderson allegedly disrobed. Church security and police moved quickly to shield attendees from the scene and make the arrest, according to FOX13.
Anderson was processed at the Salt Lake County Jail, which maintains public booking and inmate information for those following the case. For contact information, inmate rosters, and related records, the county directs the public to the Salt Lake County Corrections Bureau.
