( CNN ) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , which is the largest sponsor of Boy Scout troops in the United States , says the church has strong measures in place to prevent the sexual abuse of scouts , as claims have been made it has n't done enough . In the first interview about allegations of abuse in Mormon church-sponsored scouting troops , Church Elder L. Whitney Clayton told CNN that the church is at the forefront for prevention of child abuse . `` We feel like there is really no other organization that we know of -- a church or something like a church -- that does as much as we do , '' Clayton said . `` We have a zero tolerance policy or position with respect to child abuse , and we train our people , we teach our people , we work with leaders , we provide materials online and in hard copy . '' Over several months , CNN examined allegations of abuse that were detailed in at least five lawsuits filed against the church and the scouts . But Clayton said the church today is proactive , even constructing its buildings `` in such a way as to try to avoid any situation where child abuse could occur . '' `` For instance , if you walk down the hallway in an LDS chapel , a Mormon church , and look at the Sunday school classes , you 're going to see windows in the doorways into those Sunday school classes so people can look inside and walk by , '' he said . The interview with Clayton followed a CNN investigation into the case of Melvin Novak , who was sexually abused by his scoutmaster , a member of the Mormon Church , beginning when he was 14 years old in 1998 , according to the lawsuit Novak filed against the church and the Boy Scouts of America . The scoutmaster , Vance Hein , had been forced in resign from scouting in the early 1990s after reports surfaced that he failed to report a fellow scoutmaster who was engaged in homosexual activities . That scoutmaster ended up going to prison for sexual assaults on minors . Hein 's name was added to the Boy Scouts of America 's ineligible volunteer files , which are widely known as the `` perversion files . '' The documents , which were made public in 2012 , are lists of scout leaders suspected of sexual abuse or homosexual activity . However , three years after being kicked out of scouting , Hein was allowed to rejoin the scouts after getting letters of recommendation attesting to his character . One of those letters was from Hein 's influential Mormon Bishop Jack Moyer , who wrote that Hein was `` highly respected and liked . '' Moyer , who is now retired , declined to speak to CNN . But in a deposition taken as part of the lawsuit last year , he acknowledged that he would not have written the letter knowing what he later found out about Hein . The lawsuit charged that Hein `` actively groomed young boys under his charge for later sexual molestation . '' Hein eventually was convicted of molesting Novak . He is now in prison for violating probation in the Novak case . Ken Rothweiler , who is Novak 's lawyer , said what happened in the case is outrageous . `` This case is probably the most egregious of all of the cases against the LDS church , and the reason I say that is because the LDS church knew that Vance Hein , this pedophile , was already kicked out of scouting by the Boy Scouts of America , '' Rothweiler said . However , church attorney David Pittinsky said it was the Boy Scouts organization that should have done something . `` If the Boy Scouts had disclosed to Bishop Moyer the information they had in their files , there is no way that Vance Hein would have ever become a scoutmaster , and he would have been subject to excommunication by the church , '' Pittinsky said . In a statement to CNN , the Boy Scouts of America said Hein was removed from scouting `` for reasons unrelated to child abuse . '' The group added , `` Our efforts to protect youth were plainly insufficient , inappropriate or wrong . We extend our deepest apologies to victims and their families . '' Read the full response from the Boy Scouts . The case ended last year with a confidential settlement paid to Novak , who is now 31 . All but one of the five lawsuits filed against the church and Boy Scouts of America have been settled . Hein was sentenced to probation in 2000 after pleading guilty to indecently assaulting Novak . While on probation , he was arrested for possession of child pornography and was sentenced in 2012 to 15 to 30 years in prison . `` Any case is alarming to me . It 's a tragedy , '' Clayton said . `` I 'm a father . I have seven children , four boys and three girls . I have 19 grandchildren . The thought of one of them as a child or youth being abused is absolutely horrific to me . '' Asked what he would say to Novak , Clayton said , `` I say to him and anyone else who has been abused in the church or other churches -- I 'm sorry that you 've gone through what you 've gone through . It 's a horrible thing for anyone to be abused . No child , no youth should ever have to go through that . ''
Church elder says LDS ministry is at forefront of preventing sexual abuse . CNN investigated abuse allegations detailed in at least 20 lawsuits . Church of Jesus Christ of latter - day Saints is largest sponsor of Boy abuse allegations in 2018 .