County attorney mum on report of new Jeffs charges
 
By Patrice St. Germain
patrices@thespectrum.com
 
COLORADO CITY - Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith would not confirm or deny Tuesday that more charges are pending against Warren Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which teaches polygamy as part of its doctrine.

A Salt Lake City television station reported Monday night that Jeffs is facing more charges stemming from arranging marriages of underage girls.

Smith's office successfully obtained a grand jury indictment against Warren Steed Jeffs, 49, on June 9. The two class-six felony charges include sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Those charges are based on Jeffs allegedly setting up a marriage between a 28-year-old man and a 16-year old girl. The alleged crime occurred on or between March 28, 2002, and June 30, 2002, in the vicinity of Colorado City. A warrant for Jeffs' arrest was issued.

Mohave County grand jury indictments also were issued on eight other men residing in the Colorado City area, including former police officer Rodney Holm, who was previously convicted in Washington County, Utah, of bigamy and illegal sex with a teenage girl who he had taken as a third wife.

Seven of the men, including Holm, turned themselves in to authorities on July 11, and David Romaine Bateman was arrested at his home July 8.

Jeffs, however, has not been seen in more than a year, although there have been several unconfirmed sightings of Jeffs in Florida, Texas and British Columbia, Canada.

Holm appeared in court Monday in Kingman, Ariz., and pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual misconduct with a minor.

Jeffs is on the Federal Bureau of Investigation most wanted fugitive list for the month of August. The Utah and Arizona attorneys general have offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to Jeffs' arrest.

Smith said Jeffs has a $500,000 bond on his two charges, an amount that was set by a judge.

"Warren Jeffs has to know that people are looking for him, and it is known by people in his church," Smith said Tuesday. "He hasn't turned himself in, and he hasn't communicated with us so that has to count for something."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
 
TheSpectrum.com
Originally published Wednesday, August 24, 2005
 
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