SWITCH: Mobile | ePaper | Subscribe

Homes Rentals Jobs Autos Contests

Stewart hanged himself with bedsheet, authorities say

Warren Jeffs

FILE - Hildale, Utah sits at the base of red rock cliff mountains with its sister city, Colorado City, Ariz. in the foreground in this Thursday, April 20, 2006 file photo. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

Warren Jeffs ex-bodyguard gets his compound

Last updated Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 3:50pm

ST. GEORGE — Warren Jeffs’ former bodyguard has taken over ownership of a multi-million dollar compound built for the imprisoned polygamous leader.

Auction, Lawsuit, Utah, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church Read more Comments

Warren Jeffs' compound to be auctioned off

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, March 20, 2013 - 1:08pm

HILDALE -- Washington County officials are planning to auction a compound belonging polygamist leader Warren Jeffs to pay a judgment to a former spokesman for the sect Jeffs led.

Lawsuit, Polygamy, Utah, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church Read more Comments

Experts on religious polygamy communities spoke Wednesday at Weber State University. Speakers were (from left) Tonia Tewell, founder of Holding Out HELP; Nicole Nystrom, Holding Out HELP’s youth and young adult program coordinator; Suzanne Steed, whose family left a polygamist community last year; and Elissa Wall, a former child bride in a polygamist community who is now a mentor to Suzanne. (NANCY VAN VALKENBURG/Standard-Examiner)

Former child bride tells WSU students of her escape from polygamy

Nancy Van Valkenburg Standard-Examiner

Last updated Friday, February 22, 2013 - 6:48am

OGDEN — Twelve years ago, 14-year-old Elissa Wall stood in a hotel room in a handmade wedding dress, and was given against her will to her first cousin in a marriage arranged by Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Eight years ago, Wall escaped from her marriage and her polygamist church, and went on to testify against Jeffs in a case that named him as an accomplice to child rape.

This week, Wall shared her story with students at Weber State University.

Polygamy, Warren Jeffs, Weber State University, Featured, FLDS Church Read more Comments

FILE - In this March 2, 2005 aerial file photo, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints compound is shown under construction near Eldorado, Texas. Texas wants to take ownership of the polygamist ranch where the convicted sect leader Warren Jeffs and his followers sexually assaulted children. The Texas attorney general’s office filed a seizure warrant in rural Schleicher County on Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam, File)

Texas out to seize Warren Jeffs’ polygamist ranch

Paul J. Weber The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, November 28, 2012 - 2:28pm

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas wants ownership of Warren Jeffs’ massive polygamist ranch where prosecutors say the convicted sect leader and his followers sexually assaulted dozens of children, the state attorney general’s office said Wednesday.

Polygamy, Warren Jeffs, Featured, National Read more Comments

Warren Jeffs threatens 'whirlwind judgments' if he isn't released

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, April 27, 2012 - 10:05am

AUSTIN, Texas -- A convicted polygamist leader serving life in prison for sexual assault of two girls has told another Texas court to release him.

Courts, Polygamy, Warren Jeffs, National Read more Comments

$4.5M spent on Texas FLDS prosecution

Paul J. Weber The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, April 3, 2012 - 5:18pm

SAN ANTONIO -- In the four years since Texas authorities swarmed the polygamist ranch of sect leader Warren Jeffs, state prosecutors have spent more than $4.5 million racking up swift convictions against him and 10 loyal followers on child sex and bigamy charges, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

Combined with other state agency costs surrounding the April 3, 2008 raid, documents show the price tag is approaching $20 million for what began as a chaotic roundup of nearly 400 children and grew into one of the largest criminal cases in recent Texas history.

Bigamy, Polygamy, Prosecution, Utah, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church, National Read more Comments

Warren Jeffs follower gets 10 years in prison for bigamy

Dalina Castellanos Los Angeles Times

Last updated Friday, March 30, 2012 - 4:29pm

A West Texas polygamist who authorities said had multiple "celestial marriages" was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison.

Bigamy, Polygamist, Polygamy, Religion, Sentence, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church, National Read more Comments

Jury finds ex-polygamist leader guilty of bigamy

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, March 28, 2012 - 10:38am

MIDLAND, Texas -- A former lieutenant to polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was convicted Wednesday of illegally taking three wives besides his own, despite his attorney's argument that "celestial marriages" weren't forbidden by state law.

Bigamy, Court, Polygamy, Utah, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church, National Read more Comments

Polygamist sect member details 'celestial marriages'

Matthew Waller Standard Times

Last updated Tuesday, March 27, 2012 - 1:49pm

MIDLAND, Texas -- Former polygamist sect member Rebecca Musser said she was the 19th wife of the "prophet" Rulon Jeffs in 1995. That prophet would eventually have 65 wives, she said.

Musser, once a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, saw her own records of that marriage during the bigamy trial of former FLDS President Wendell Loy Nielsen this week.

Child Sex Abuse, Crime, Bigamy, Courts, Polygamist, Polygamy, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church, National Read more Comments

Former FLDS leader's trial starts in West Texas

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Thursday, March 22, 2012 - 4:46pm

MIDLAND, Texas -- A former lieutenant to polygamist sect prophet Warren Jeffs illegally took multiple wives on a remote West Texas compound that was raided by authorities, prosecutors alleged Thursday.

Child Sex Abuse, Polygamist, Polygamy, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church, National Read more Comments

Bill aimed at closing polygamous town police fails

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, March 6, 2012 - 1:01pm

SALT LAKE CITY -- A bill aimed at disbanding a police department that serves the Utah-Arizona border towns dominated by followers of polygamous-sect leader Warren Jeffs has failed in the Utah Legislature.

Police, Polygamy, Utah, Utah Legislature, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church Read more Comments

Ex-FLDS leader's bigamy trial gets new Texas judge

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, March 2, 2012 - 7:12am

SAN ANGELO, Texas -- The West Texas judge assigned to the bigamy trial of a former lieutenant to polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs has been replaced.

Courts, Polygamy, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church, National Read more Comments

FILE - This April 20, 2006 file photo shows Hildale, Utah sitting at the base of red rock cliff mountains with its sister city, Colorado City, Ariz. in the foreground. Sen. Curt Bramble, a Utah senator wants to disband the police department that serves the Utah-Arizona border towns of Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Ariz., dominated by followers of jailed polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac, File)

Judge orders $5.5 million polygamy trust payment

Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, February 14, 2012 - 2:56pm

SALT LAKE CITY -- A judge has given Utah's attorney general 90 days to pay off more than $5.5 million in debts incurred by managers of a communal land trust once run by jailed polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs.

Judge ruling, Land trust, Polygamy, Utah, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church Read more Comments

Utah legislation could disband polygamous police

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, February 14, 2012 - 11:30am

SALT LAKE CITY -- A state senator is proposing legislation that could disband the police department that serves the Utah-Arizona border towns dominated by followers of polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs.

Police, Polygamy, State Legislature, Utah, Utah Legislature, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church Read more Comments

Ex-bodyguard files $100 million lawsuit against Warren Jeffs

Ashley Powers Los Angeles Times

Last updated Friday, February 10, 2012 - 3:47pm

LAS VEGAS -- The onetime spokesman for Warren Jeffs has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the polygamous sect leader, saying Jeffs asked him to falsify church records and arranged a break-in at his excavating business when he refused.

Lawsuit, Polygamy, Utah, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church Read more Comments