Local lawmen meet with Utah, Arizona authorities
 
The Eldorado Success
myeldorado.net
 
Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran and Chief Deputy George Arispe traveled to Arizona and Utah last week where they met with local, state and federal law enforcement officials to discuss issues connected with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The group, which practices polygamy, broke away from the mainline Mormon church more than a hundred years ago. The FLDS has come under intense scrutiny in recent months from Utah and Arizona law enforcement agencies.

Doran and Arispe met in Kingman, AZ on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 with authorities from the Arizona and Utah Attorney General offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as officials from Mohave County, AZ, Washington County, UT, where they exchanged information and reviewed several ongoing investigations.

Doran declined to comment on specifics of the meeting but did acknowledge that he received updates from Utah and Arizona officials.

“I know that people here are concerned about all the allegations that have been made against the FLDS.” Doran commented. “I want them to know that we are continuing to monitor things at the YFZ Ranch and that we are staying in touch with other law enforcement agencies.”

“At this time we have no evidence of crimes committed by the group here in Texas,” Doran continued. “When and if such evidence is developed, we will act on it.”

FLDS members who follow the teachings of the Prophet Warren Jeffs, began leaving the remote community of Short Creek on the Utah/Arizona border in late 2003, after one of Jeffs’ lieutenants, David S. Allred, purchased a ranch here in Schleicher County. By March of 2004, construction of a series of multistory buildings was underway on the property that has become known as the YFZ Ranch.

Since that time, more than a dozen large buildings, including a massive temple, have been erected on the property. Rock, quarried from a nearby pit, is being used to clad the Temple building.
 
myeldorado.net
Originally published May 5, 2005
 
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