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During the operation, the decoy was contacted by an individual with a screen name of “William Wallace,” later identified by police as Walker, who reportedly started engaging in sexually explicit online conversations with the purported juvenile, court records detailed.

The suspect's intent, the detective noted, was “to seduce, lure, and entice” the minor into engaging in various sexual acts. The detective posing as a decoy made it “abundantly clear” she was claiming to be a 14-year-old girl.

Throughout the message threads, Walker allegedly stated he did not care if the girl was a minor, rather it was her age that made him aroused, police noted in the report. Walker then reportedly sent inappropriate images to the detective that he believed to be an underaged girl on at least two occasions.

According to Deseret News, Walker worked in various reporting and editing roles in three separate stints at the company.

Walker also wrote a weekly, nationally syndicated column covering "traditional values."

Gadianton wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 30, 2025 10:57 pm

Oh c'mon, she was almost 15!

Gadianton wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 30, 2025 10:57 pm

Oh c'mon, she was almost 15!

Joseph Walker (Joe Walker) was a former Mormon bishop and LDS Public Affairs employee in Washington, Utah.

In 2025, Walker was charged with one third-degree felony count of enticing a minor and two third-degree felony counts of distributing material harmful to a minor.

According to a police affidavit obtained by Floodlit, Walker allegedly “engaged in several sexually explicit conversations within which he sought or attempted to seduce, lure, and entice Minor into engaging in multiple sexual acts.”

The “Minor” was an undercover persona of a 14-year-old female created by a detective with the Layton Police Department in Layton, Utah.

“Minor made it abundantly clear that her age was 14. Despite this, WALKER, believing that Minor was 14-years-old continued his actions to engage in sexual activities,” the affidavit stated.

Walker was a Mormon bishop in the early 1990s in the Bountiful area of Utah. Floodlit is trying to determine the name of the ward of which Walker was bishop.

In 1993, Walker was second counselor in the Bountiful Utah Orchard stake presidency, according to the Mormon church’s 1993 directory of officials (Floodlit owns a copy, thanks to your donations).

For three years, Walker worked for the LDS church’s Public Affairs department.

Walker wrote numerous articles for the church-owned Deseret News, including a weekly syndicated column called ValueSpeak, in which he discussed traditional values.

At the time of the charges against Walker in 2025, he was a communications director for the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT).

Walker is listed as a co-author of a biography of deceased Mormon apostle Russell Ballard, Anxiously Engaged (2021).

Yesterday, the court received 10 letters from supporters asking for Walker to be released after he was initially held without bail.

Seven of those letters, obtained by Floodlit, reference the LDS church.

Thanks to the anonymous person who alerted us to the letters’ publication as part of the public court record.

Gunnar wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 31, 2025 2:58 am

Gadianton wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 30, 2025 10:57 pm

Oh c'mon, she was almost 15!

Of course! 14 is almost 15 by definition. Isn't it?

Jersey Girl wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 31, 2025 9:42 am

Gunnar wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 31, 2025 2:58 am

Of course! 14 is almost 15 by definition. Isn't it?

Lemme try to get a Clue here.

Fanny
in the barn
with the prophet.

How'd I do, huh?

I Have Questions wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 31, 2025 9:45 am

Jersey Girl wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 31, 2025 9:42 am

Lemme try to get a Clue here.

Fanny
in the barn
with the prophet.

How'd I do, huh?

It’s a fail I’m afraid. The reference is to Joseph marrying the 14 year old Helen Mar Kimball, who they refer to as being in her fifteenth year, to avoid saying she was 14.