Case vs. polygamist dropped
 
By Jim Seckler
Mohave Daily News
 
KINGMAN - The case against the last of eight polygamists who belong to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Colorado City ended Monday.

Rodney Holm, 41, a former Colorado City police officer, had been charged with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor. His trial was set to begin Sept. 5.

Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith dropped the charges without prejudice providing that Holm completes 40 hours of community service and does not commit a similar offense for one year.

Smith also said the alleged victim and her brother engaged in a blackmail attempt to get money from one of the leaders of the church. The victim reportedly wrote a letter saying she would not testify against some defendants if leaders of the church gave money to her brother and another man.

Seven other members of the Colorado City polygamist sect had faced charges including Dale Evans Barlow, 49, who pleaded no contest in April to conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. A charge of one count of sexual conduct with a minor was dismissed. He was sentenced earlier this month to three years on supervised probation and 45 days in county jail. He must also register as a sex offender.

Vergel Bryce Jessop, 47, pleaded no contest Dec. 18 to child abuse. He had been charged with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He was sentenced in April to three years supervised probation with no additional jail time. Jessop was also required to register as a sex offender for as long as he was on probation.

Charges against Randolph J. Barlow were dismissed in February when the victim refused to testify against him. Barlow, 34, was charged with two counts of sexual conduct with a minor.

David Romaine Bateman, 50, was convicted in October of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He was sentenced in December to nine months in state prison and must register as a sex offender.

Charges against Terry Darger Barlow, 26, were dropped in October. He was charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor.

In September, a Mohave County jury acquitted Donald Robert Barlow, 51, of one count of sexual conduct with a minor.

Kelly Fischer, 40, was convicted in July 2006 of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He was sentenced in August 2006 to 45 days in county jail, probation and must register as a sex offender.

The sect's leader, Warren Steed Jeffs, 51, is currently in custody in St. George facing rape charges in Utah. He is also charged in Mohave County with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor in a 2005 case. He also faces new charges of two counts of incest and two counts of sexual conduct with a minor in one case and two counts of incest and two counts of sexual conduct with a minor in another case. Jeffs faces up to three years and nine months in prison if tried and convicted for the incest charge.

Smith said he will not pursue criminal charges against the victim because of the lack of evidence. The letter she reportedly wrote was destroyed by her brother. Smith would not comment on which defendants she would not testify against nor would he say who the leaders of the church were allegedly being blackmailed.
 
MohaveDailyNews.com
Originally published August 27, 2007
 
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