Polygamist Compound Reported In South Dakota

[StrawberryFields]

"Jeffs followers have built the new facility, Texas editor says"

By Nancy Perkins

Deseret Morning News

ST. GEORGE — The editor of a Texas newspaper said Wednesday he has confirmed that a previously unknown compound built on 100 acres in South Dakota belongs to followers of the fugitive polygamous leader Warren Jeffs.

Deseret Morning News graphic "We got an anonymous e-mail tip and phone call that made us look at South Dakota," said Randy Mankin, publisher and editor of the Eldorado Success, a weekly newspaper in Schleicher County, Texas, that first broke a similar story about Jeffs buying property in the rural Texas county nearly two years ago. "We worked on this story for a month and a half and felt pretty sure we had it nailed down."

The South Dakota property is about 10 miles outside the town of Pringle in Custer County, according to a story in today's edition of the Eldorado Success newspaper and which was on its Web site, myeldorado.net, Wednesday.

"It didn't take long to recognize the people and the buildings as the same kind that are here in Eldorado," said Mankin.

A Mohave County, Ariz., grand jury indicted Jeffs last year on charges involving sexual misconduct with a minor. Jeffs is accused of performing a marriage with an underage girl and a man who was already married. The FBI is offering a $60,000 reward for information leading to Jeffs' arrest and conviction.

When FLDS agent David Allred first purchased more than 1,400 acres outside of Eldorado in Schleicher County, he told local civic leaders the land would be used for a hunting retreat. Allred eventually told authorities the land would really be used as a retreat for faithful members of the FLDS church. That property became known as the YFZ Ranch, which stands for the title of a song written by Jeffs called "Yearn For Zion."

Allred is apparently also behind the purchase of the South Dakota property, according to the Eldorado Success. That connection and other similarities prompted Mankin to ask private investigator Sam Brower to investigate the South Dakota property.

During an interview televised Wednesday on KCSG-TV's 9 p.m. newscast in St. George, Brower said he is convinced Jeffs is using the property as a "hideout."

"It's in a remote location," said Brower. "I would guess there are about 50 to 60 people living there. I think the fact that we know about it will be a big blow to them, mostly because they've gone to great lengths to hide it and have spent a lot of money on it."

Brower said the site includes three main buildings, including one steel structure that measures over 12,000 square feet. Two three-story buildings are an estimated 5,000 square feet each, with a couple of smaller buildings nearby, he said.

KSL-TV Ch. 5 also interviewed Brower, who said Jeffs has reportedly been seen at the South Dakota complex. "I think he has been there — I think he has probably been there regularly," he said.

Members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which teaches plural marriage as a central doctrine, consider Jeffs a prophet. An estimated 10,000 FLDS members are scattered throughout the nation, in Canada and Mexico, although the vast majority live in Hildale, Washington County, and Colorado City, Ariz.

Link

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635190438,00.html

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[Josh M]

The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is freakin weird... They scare me >< Also u can see how the devil is very tricky fooling people about their name.

[Fiannan]

They may be a bit on the strange side but I am VERY thankful Janet Reno is not around to save the children in the Clinton government's own special way.

[Winnie G]

Janet Reno ?

[Outshined]

Janet Reno ?

You know; Waco, Texas, 1993. Branch Davidians, death, destruction, what some call a massacre...

[john doe]

Oh, I'm sure there's a way that some revisionist could try to blame the Bush family for it. To start with, they ARE from Texas.

[dakota]

I'm from South Dakota and I have been keeping up on the recent news that federal agents are keeping an eye on some suspected Fundamentalist Mormon Polygamists in the Black Hills. Their leader, who they view as a prophet, Warren Jeffs is wanted for an alleged sexual assault of a minor. According to recent news reports, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints owns around 100 acres somewhere in the Southern Hills of South Dakota.

[Winnie G]

Ah yes I see were your going.

[prisonchaplain]

<div class='quotemain'>

Janet Reno ?

You know; Waco, Texas, 1993. Branch Davidians, death, destruction, what some call a massacre...

When the Waco fiasco went down, I was well-versed in the criticisms of the government action. Authorities refused to listen to religious experts, probably wanted to send a message to patriotic gun-owning Americans, etc. Frankly, I was sympathetic to those sentiments, and pretty much bought into the sense that the government was turning against people of faith.

Now, some 13 years later, having seen how government works from the inside, and frankly, having grown up, and having become a parent, my view has changed. Religious compound or not, Romans 13 reminds us that governments are ordained by God. When Uncle Sam comes knocking, we open our doors and say, "May we help you?" Additionally, there were reports of child molestation and abuse, of weapons being stockpiled. And, sure enough, it seems likely that the explosions were caused by explosive material that Branch Davidian leaders had planted around the compound.

It might be interesting to see the After Action Report, and what recommended changes were implimented. But, in essence, the Davidians were a domestic terrorist group, that may well have been holding some 'members' hostage. Criticism might be directed and tactical decisions and processes, but to call the operation a "massacre" is outrageous, and inflammatory.

[Outshined]

It might be interesting to see the After Action Report, and what recommended changes were implimented. But, in essence, the Davidians were a domestic terrorist group, that may well have been holding some 'members' hostage. Criticism might be directed and tactical decisions and processes, but to call the operation a "massacre" is outrageous, and inflammatory.

I agree; I never said it was a massacre, just that some call it that (and worse).

Example

Example

Example

Personally, I think it was just overzealous law enforcement and seriously heavy-handed tactics. Regardless, it was definitely mishandled.