Warrant issued for FLDS leader Warren Jeffs indicted on two felony charges

By Patrice St. Germain patrices@thespectrum.com

Jeffs An arrest warrant has been issued for Warren Steed Jeffs, prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who was indicted on two separate felony charges in Mohave County, Ariz. on Thursday. Mohave County Attorney Matthew Smith said Jeffs was indicted on two Class Six felony charges, which include sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Smith said the charges are based on allegations that Jeffs set up a marriage between a 28-year old man and a 16-year old girl on or between March 28, 2002 and June 30, 2002 in the vicinity of Colorado City. Smith said the 28-year old man, who's name was withheld, has been indicted as well on three felony counts of sexual assault and sexual conduct with a minor. The man had not been served with a warrant as of Friday afternoon. The Mohave County Attorney's Office has also obtained warrants against two other men accused of taking part in arranged marriages with minors. The minor victim was subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury on the allegations, said Gary Engels, Mohave County Attorney's Office investigator. While some believe Jeffs is at the YFZ Ranch near Eldorado, Texas, Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran said there is no evidence or information that Jeffs is at the ranch. Doran also didn't know about the arrest warrant until Friday afternoon. "My first tip was from the local newspaper," Doran said. Doran said his office would treat the out-of-state felony warrant like any other warrant and that Jeffs could be picked up on a traffic stop or that his department may possibly attempt to serve the warrant. He said, however, the basic plan was to communicate with Arizona law enforcement. Doran also said he wasn't surprised by the warrant because of what has been happening in Utah and Arizona the last few months, particularly the seizure of records from the Colorado City Unified School District. Smith said the grand jury indictment came about after nine months of investigative work by Engels. If found guilty, Jeffs could face from four months to two years in jail and if given probation, could serve up to a year in jail. Associated fines on the charges, the least serious felony charges in Arizona, could total $150,000. In a press release issued by the Utah Attorney General's Office, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said child sex abuse indictments against Jeffs are just the beginning of efforts to make sure all young girls in polygamous communities are protected. "Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith and investigator Gary Engels should be commended for putting the time and resources into this difficult investigation," Shurtleff said in a press release. "We hope these indictments will encourage other victims to come forward and let perpetrators know that they will be brought to justice." When contacted Friday evening, Hildale Mayor David Zitting said it was the first he had heard about the charges against Jeffs. Zitting said he had no knowledge of the charges and therefore, could not comment. The victim was subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury on the allegations.

TheSpectrum.com Originally published Saturday, June 11, 2005

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