Official: More Colo. City cases to be filed
 
By Caleb Soptelean
Today's News-Herald - Havasu City
 
Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said he expects another 10 to 15 cases involving underage marriage in Colorado City to be filed in the near future.

The news comes on the heels of Superior Court Judge Steven Conn issuing an arrest warrant for Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' prophet Warren Jeffs last week.

The 10 to 15 cases should be brought before a grand jury for possible indictment some time in the next couple months, Smith said.

Smith said county investigator Gary Engels and the sheriff's office have been unable to serve four arrest warrants and six court subpoenas in the polygamist enclave that straddles the Utah/Arizona border.

Those who are wanted for arrest or subpoena are "running, hiding, lying or moving" in order to avoid Engels, Smith said.

Jeffs was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday on five charges of sexual misconduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Jeffs is accused of arranging the marriage of a 16-year-old girl to a 28-year-old man, Smith said. He is not accused of having sex with the girl. If convicted, Jeffs would face four months to two years in prison.

Three other counts charge the unlawful groom, age 28, with sex offenses, and a warrant has been issued for the man's arrest. The identity of the man has not been released.

Jeffs allegedly performed the ceremonial marriage of the couple on March 28, 2002.

It has been speculated that Jeffs has moved to a new FLDS compound near Eldorado, Texas.

Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran said Sunday he doesn't intend to try to arrest the 49-year-old Jeffs at the FLDS compound.

"We have a lot of out-of-state warrants issued. We're not going to treat this one any different," Doran said in an Associated Press report.

Jeffs could be arrested if he is located during a traffic stop, however.

On Tuesday, Smith offered a "no comment" on Doran's statement.

Smith noted Doran "came all the way up here to attend a meeting we had six weeks ago" and is not being uncooperative.

You can contact the reporter at soptelean@havasunews.com.
 
havasunews.com
Originally published June 15, 2005
 
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