UEP property stripped
 Investigator documents alterations to property frozen under court order
 
By Patrice St. Germain
patrices@thespectrum.com
 
COLORADO CITY - A Colorado City man was cited for trespassing Sunday evening after he attempted to move into a vacant house owned by the United Effort Plan. Hours later, workers showed up and began stripping the home of carpets, windows and doors.

Andrew Chatwin said his father built the house with funds from his parents. He said another family lived in the house - which is owned by the UEP, the financial arm of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - until early June.

Chatwin said he had moved in some dishes, clothing and furniture when police arrived and told him he was trespassing.

"My father built the house and it was taken from him," Chatwin said. "Dozens of people have been moving around, yet when I do it, I am told I am trespassing."

Chatwin said he was asked to prove ownership of the house, but said no one else has been asked for proof of ownership of homes they have moved into during a recent reshuffling of families and homes in the community.

Attempts to reach Colorado City Police Chief Fred Barlow were unsuccessful.

After he was told he was trespassing, Chatwin said his possessions were removed from the house. Hours later, he said, about a dozen people showed up and began stripping the home of carpet, windows and doors. Some, he said, even removed walls.

Most of the heavy work didn't begin until about 10 p.m., and at some point the power, which had been disconnected, was turned on, Chatwin said. Around midnight, trucks from the Colorado City Landfill Corporation arrived to empty Dumpsters on the property, he said.

Monday morning, he said, workers began reassembling the house.

Because all UEP property and assets are frozen under a court order, any work conducted on UEP property is subject to contempt of court charges.

Monday afternoon, private investigator Sam Brower arrived to document what had been done at the home. Brower has been hired by several groups involved in lawsuits against FLDS church prophet Warren Jeffs, the FLDS church and the UEP. He has also been hired by Jeffrey Shields, an attorney representing Bruce Wisen, a court-appointed special fiduciary overseeing church assets, to document any activity involving UEP property. As an agent of the court, Brower has the authority to go onto UEP property and record any damages, removal of property or changes.

Brower initially had difficulty gaining access to the home located on Richards Street, but was finally allowed to enter.

The man who blocked Brower's entrance refused to give Brower his name, but said it was not against the court order to improve the property.

"After reading the (court) order, I was let in," Brower said.

Because of the Utah state holiday - Pioneer Day -state officers who placed the freeze on UEP assets were unavailable for comment on whether charges would be filed against those involved in the remodeling.

Colorado City offices also were closed on Monday in observance of Pioneer Day.
 
TheSpectrum.com
Originally published July 26, 2005
 
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