Still More Questions Than Answers About YFZ Ranch
 Local Authorities Make Contact With YFZ Officials
 
The Eldorado Success
 
David Allred, the Arizona man who represented a newly formed corporation, YFZ L.L.C., when it purchased 1,691 acres some four miles north-northwest of Eldorado last November, made the rounds in town last Thursday, meeting with local officials, and assuring them that he intends to use the property as a corporate hunting retreat. Three large buildings under construction on the ranch will be used to house guests, Allred told Sheriff David Doran, adding that some families may be living there full time.

Doran said that he and Texas Ranger Sgt. Brooks Long met with Allred, and his construction foreman, Ernie Jessop, primarily to make contact with the men and open a dialogue. "They are aware of the rumors that are buzzing around town," Doran stated. "They told us that they just want to live their lives peacefully and to be left alone to raise their families according to their beliefs."

"We made them aware that Texas has very strong laws regarding bigamy, as well as sexual abuse of minor children," Doran continued. "We also told them that while we have no evidence at this time of any wrongdoing we won't hesitate to act if we obtain such evidence."

The conversation was prompted by allegations brought against Allred by Flora Jessop, a Phoneix child rights activist who claims that he and the YFZ Ranch are affiliated with the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), a splinter sect of the Mormon Church, that continues to practice polygamy. She told reporters at a press conference held here on March 25 that she had been raised in the FLDS and was forced to marry her cousin when she was only sixteen.

Allred and Ernie Jessop (Flora Jessop claims he is another of her many cousins) also met with Scott Sutton, Chief Appraiser for the Schleicher County Tax Appraisal District. The men invited Sutton to the ranch so that an accurate appraisal could be made for tax purposes.

Sutton wasted no time in taking the men up on their offer. He and Phil McCormick, president of the Appraisal District, joined by Sheriff Doran and Chief Deputy George Arispe, toured the ranch on Monday, April 12.

Allred wasn't on hand for the tour but Ernie Jessop reportedly showed the men around. "What we saw were some very impressive buildings and a few construction workers," Doran said. He went on to note that neither the lawmen nor the tax office officials were invited inside the buildings.

For his part, Sutton says it isn't all that unusual not to be invited inside when doing an appraisal. "We're not always welcome inside and we're used to that," Sutton said.

"The buildings are massive," Sutton continued, "especially for a hunting camp." He went on to explain that each of the three buildings contain 21,600 square feet of space, spread out over three floors. Each of the buildings could generate over $5,300.00 in tax revenue each year for the four county-wide taxing entities, including the county, school, hospital district and water district.

Sutton said he was surprised to learn that a 1,990 square foot home built four years ago by the ranch's previous owners had been demolished. He also noted that four mobile homes located on the property appear to be permanent. "They are each underpinned and they all have underground utilities," Sutton explained.

The Success has made repeated attempts to contact David Allred regarding the YFZ property. So far he has failed to return any of those calls.

Flora Jessop contacted the Success again this week to say that she continues to monitor activity at the YFZ Ranch. She confirmed a report the Success had received earlier that much of the construction material for the buildings at the YFZ was trucked in from Bountiful, British Columbia, a settlement of FLDS members located just across the Canadian border from the Idaho panhandle. She also agreed with another unsubstantiated report the Success received last week that enough material to build "three or four" more buildings has been assembled in Bountiful and is awaiting shipment to Eldorado.

That story seems to square with word that local officials received this week when Allred told Sheriff Doran that more buildings will be built at the site.

In a word to local citizens, Sheriff Doran echoed the sentiments he has expressed since the story first broke three weeks ago. "I just hope everyone will remain calm and let us do our work I know there's a lot of hype and hysteria right now, but everyone needs to know that we are on top of things," he said.

"I am aware that there are a lot of stories on the Internet about the FLDS and its activities in Colorado City. I've read those stories, too, and I share the same concerns as everyone else," Doran added. "But please know that these folks aren't looking to kidnap our local girls and they don't have a history of taking over local governments in any place other than Colorado City and Hildale where they already represent the majority of the population."
 
MyEldorado.net
Originally published April 15, 2004
 
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