Colorado City investigator donates salary to help victims of polygamy
 
By Jim Seckler
Mohave Daily News
 
KINGMAN - An investigator for the Mohave County Attorney's Office is donating his salary from a made-for-television movie to a county organization that helps victims of polygamy.

Gary Engels was hired almost two years ago to investigate crimes especially against underage girls in the polygamist community of Colorado City, County Attorney Matt Smith said.

The community is home to a polygamist sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Colorado City near the Utah border.

The sect is an offshoot of the main Mormon Church that outlawed polygamy to attain statehood.

The Arts and Entertainment Network is in preproduction on a movie that will be filmed in the northern Mohave County city based on the experience of Carolyn Jessop, who escaped the polygamist community, Smith said.

Engels was given $5,000 as a technical consultant in the upcoming movie. He stands to earn another $5,000 when the movie is completed.

Engels will review the movie's script to scan for accuracies, Smith said.

Engels will donate $5,000 today to the Mohave County Faces Abuses of Polygamy based in Lake Havasu City and will donate the remainder once the movie is completed, Smith said.

The money will go to the non-profit organization to help underage victims escape Colorado City such as providing shelter.

Eight Colorado City men belonging to a polygamist sect are currently charged in Superior Court with having sexual relations with underage girls.

The crimes range from sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor and sexual assault.

The already married men are charged with marrying under-age girls. Arizona law states it is illegal to marry more than one person and illegal to have sexual relations with someone under 18 years old.

The girls were between 15 and 17 years old when the alleged crimes took place.

The sect's leader, Warren Jeffs, 49, is also charged with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor and remains at large on a FBI warrant.
 
MohaveDailyNews.com
Originally published Thursday, February 23, 2006
 
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