Polygamist Sect Growing in Colorado

By SCOTT HARRISON s.harrison@krdo.com KRDO News Channel 13 - Colorado Springs, CO

Fremont County FREMONT COUNTY - Members of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints -- a polygamist sect which has made national headlines in the past year -- apparently have a growing presence in Southern Colorado. Records confirm an alleged member has bought more than 200 acres of land in Custer and Fremont counties. According to Custer County Sheriff Fred Jobe and the Fremont County Assessor's Office, Anthony Steed bought land as recently as last December. That's when he purchased 40 acres near Florence. That summer he acquired 35 acres in the Texas Creek area near Cotopaxi. Jobe says Steed also bought two 80-acre plots near Westcliffe, adding to 35 acres he already owned. Jobe believes Steed is a member of the FLDS. Officials in Fremont County were unable or unavailable Thursday to discuss the size of the FLDS community there. Jobe says the Westcliffe community is growing, with plenty of building going on. Jobe says men occasionally come in town, but women and children rarely are seen. The sect already owns land in Delta and Montezuma counties, the latter in which members planned to build a retreat for ex-leader Warren Jeffs. Jeffs currently is serving a ten-year prison sentence for accessory to rape, after his conviction for influencing a 14-year-old girl to marry her 19-year-old cousin. Last month, federal authorities raided a sect ranch in Texas and removed 462 children. The raid came amid allegations the sect forced young girls into polygamist marriages to older relatives. Joe Catalina lives in a gated community near Steed's Texas Creek address, and says he's not bothered by possibly having a growing polygamist community as neighbors. "I don't necessarily agree with it, but if they leave me alone, I'll leave them alone. I didn't know they were interested in this property. It's news to me."

KRDO.com Originally broadcast May 17, 2008

Back

For more information email: