Road to Polygamy: Part 1
 
KXLY News 4
No Tresspassing

A group of religious fundamentalists operating in both the United States and Canada is raising the eyebrows of law enforcement on both sides of the border. Several agencies say they are trafficking young girls across the border to become child brides.

They're called the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They have no affiliation with the modern Mormon church, and believe a man must have more than one wife to reach the highest plains of heaven. That means, young women are often trafficked back and forth from FLDS headquarters in the U.S. to a small community just across Idaho's border into Bountiful, British Columbia.

Bountiful has been a home for the polygamist group since the 1940's. Just outside the town of Creston, Bountiful members are a frequent site at stores in town and some of its members run profitable businesses there. But, most of the community sits isolated from Creston and, until recently, out of reach of law enforcement.

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has mounted a crusade to end crimes associated with polygamy, including the trafficking of young girls to Canada. Shurtleff says, "These societies are so closed, they're almost, in some cases, like the FLDS up in Bountiful, Canada, they are almost a Taliban-like society where you have a religious zealout in charge."

Shurtleff's office has recently contacted Sheriff George Voyles in Boundary County, Idaho. Just across the border from Bountiful, many FLDS members now live in property just inside the U.S. border. Many claim Bonners Ferry is used as a sort of staging area for child brides. "Our concern is for the safety for these children," says Sheriff Voyles. "At this time, there hasn't been any crimes committed or crimes reported. We are keeping an eye on things and our main concern is the safety of the children."

Many former sister-wives have left Bountiful and claim abuse, incest and forced marriages are common in the community and are aiding Utah's attorney general in his investigation. They hope the recent media attention and efforts to crack down on polygamy on both sides of the border will end the organization altogether.
 
KXLY News 4
Original broadcast November 5, 2003
 
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