| Jeffs facing more indictments in AZ Followers build 12 ft. wall around YFZ temple | |
| The Eldorado Success | |
FLDS Prophet Warren Jeffs is facing more criminal indictments in Arizona, according to sources in the Grand Canyon state. Jeffs was previously indicted on felony charges of Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Conspiracy to Commit Sexual Conduct with a Minor. The charges stem from Jeffs’ alleged involvement in arranging and officiating over marriages between his adult male followers and under aged FLDS girls. Now comes word that a Mohave County grand jury in Kingman, AZ has handed up even more charges against the reclusive prophet, although the exact nature of those charges remains unknown since the indictments are reportedly sealed. A $10,000 reward offered by the Utah and Arizona Attorney General offices remains in place. Cops doubt Florida sighting While the new felony charges are of interest to law enforcement officials, investigators at the state and federal level are paying little attention to reports out last week that Warren Jeffs and several of his followers had been spotted in the Leesburg, FL area. One investigator told the Success that the Florida information was dubious and had been provided to authorities by a source no longer considered credible. The faulty information found its way on to an FBI flyer that was circulated two weeks ago when Jeffs was named to the FBI’s Most Wanted List for August. Activity increases at YFZ Construction activity appears to have increased somewhat at the YFZ Ranch with new concrete foundations or pads having been completed near the ranch’s commissary, or storehouse building, as well as near the large barn where chickens are kept. Work continues on a concrete wall surrounding the temple and a limestone veneer is being applied to the temple walls — although the stone work seems to have slowed and workers are still removing large limestone blocks from the quarry on the ranch’s western edge. Large limestone blocks have also been deposited near the guard house at the ranch’s entrance. The front of the temple is being decorated with large semi-circular concrete steps leading up to the building’s front door on its eastern face. A question of taxes As Schleicher County jurisdictions go through the steps of preparing their 2006 budgets and setting tax rates for the coming year, there remains a question about the tax liability at the YFZ Ranch. Published reports in Utah and Arizona indicate that FLDS Prophet Warren Jeffs told his followers not to make property tax payments in Hildale, UT and Colorado City, AZ. Jeffs, and several of his most faithful followers, were removed recently as trustees of the United Effort Plan Trust, a charitable trust once controlled by the FLDS church that owns most of the property in the Utah/Arizona border town, after a Utah state judge found the trust was being mismanaged. Jeffs has reportedly told his followers not to pay taxes on the UEP property and, when the tax man comes calling to “answer them nothing.” That leaves local authorities scratching their heads and hoping for the best. The YFZ Ranch, and improvements made upon it before January 1, 2005, have added $7.66 million to the county’s taxable property values. Depending on the tax rates adopted by local jurisdictions, the tax bill at the YFZ Ranch could run as high as $211,000.00 in and soar even higher next year. | |
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MyEldorado.net Originally published August 25, 2005 | |
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