The Voice of Eldorado and Schleicher County Since 1901

Prophet's nephew alleges sexual abuse

FLDS & 3 Jeffs brothers named Thursday in Utah lawsuit

AUGUST 5, 2004
Warren Jeffs, president and prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the nation's largest polygamous community, was accused in a lawsuit last Thursday of repeatedly sodomizing his young nephew and covering it up for more than a decade. Jeffs is also accused of hiding wide-scale sexual abuse of other children by fellow members of the FLDS, including two of his brothers Blaine Balmforth Jeffs and Leslie Balmforth Jeffs.

The allegations are the most serious to be brought against Warren Jeffs, 48. He, and his top FLDS lieutenants have been under intense scrutiny by the attorneys general of Utah and Arizona, however, no criminal charges have been filed against anyone in the church leadership. But, Thursday's civil suit is of great interest to investigators in both states, even if they aren't exactly sure where to find the prophet.

A number of Hildale residents reportedly saw the prophet's motor home, and a caravan of automobiles, depart from his walled compound and drive toward St. George, Utah. One of the witnesses, who has asked to remain anonymous, told the Success this week that surveillance cameras which once stood sentinel on the estate walls, have been removed and that the prophet's home is "obviously empty."

"Some people are convinced he went to Texas, while others say he is hiding out in Canada," the source continued. "No one knows for sure, he may even be in Mexico."

While the prophet's whereabouts may be in doubt, the extent of the allegations against him are not. Jeffs and his two brothers, along with an unnamed defendant listed as John Doe, are accused of sodomizing Brent Jeffs when he was 4-6 years-old. Brent, now 21, was 5 and 6 years old when he claims the serial molestations took place. His attorneys said in the suit that he "decided to come forward with this information after his brother, Clayne, who lived in the same FLDS community, committed suicide."

Rodney Parker, a Salt Lake City attorney who represents the FLDS, spoke with the Success by phone Tuesday to say his client denies the charges. "The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and its President Warren S. Jeffs deny in the strongest possible terms the allegations made by Mr. Brent Jeffs. The church and its President Jeffs believe that the filing of this action is part of a continuing effort by enemies of the church to defame it and its institutions. President Jeffs is confident that ultimately these allegations will be shown to be total fabrications," Parker said.

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard have both expressed interest in the case, especially since it appears to bolster efforts of the two states to bring criminal charges against Warren Jeffs and the FLDS church.

The accusations
The lawsuit filed by Brent Jeffs accuses Warren Jeffs, and two other men, Warren's brothers Blaine and Leslie, of molesting him repeatedly more than a decade ago in the basement of a Sunday school the FLDS ran in Salt Lake City. The Sunday school, known as the Alta Academy, has since closed.

"On repeated occasions, defendant prophet Warren would enter the basement room where the children were located, find (Brent) and instruct him to come to a nearby lavatory," the suit alleges.

"While in the lavatory, defendant prophet, and/or defendant Blaine and/or defendant Leslie confronted (Brent) and instruction him to remove his clothes."

The suit alleges that after Brent was undressed, the defendants told him it was "God's will" that he submit to one or all three of the men.

"Defendant prophet Warren then told (Brent) that these sodomizing activities were a way for (Brent) to 'become a man,'" the suit claims. "The defendant prophet Warren admonished (Brent) that it was God's will that he not tell anyone - particularly his parents - about said activities."

The suit also alleges that as prophet, "Warren Jeffs yields ultimate and absolute authority within the FLDS church."

"Defendant prophet Warren arranges and directs all marriages within the FLDS, and can at his whim expel any FLDS Church property it owns through the UEP Trust," the suit alleges.

Since rising to power following his father's death, Warren Jeffs has expelled several of the group's once most faithful members. The expulsions, called excommunications by many FLDS members, actually aren't excommunications at all, according to FLDS Attorney Rod Parker. "They prefer to say that people have been asked to repent at a distance," Parker said.

The lawsuit noted that the expulsions occur almost exclusively with young men aged 14-20, particularly if one of the young males shows an interest in their teenage female counterparts.

Coming forward
Brent Jeffs, now 21, was 5 and 6 years old when the alleged serial molestations took place and that he decided to come forward only after his brother Clayne, who lived in the same FLDS community, committed suicide.

Attorney Joanne L. Suder of Baltimore, MD, is representing Brent Jeffs. She has made a name for herself with similar lawsuits against the Catholic Church's Baltimore Archdiosese. Also representing Brent Jeffs are attorneys John S. Jose and Rickey J. Brantley of Ft. Worth, Texas and Patrick A. Shea of Salt Lake City, UT.

Reaction to the lawsuit in Hildale, UT and Colorado City, AZ, was predictably mixed between the FLDS faithful who continue to follow the prophet and those who either voluntarily or through expulsion, left the group.

"Some see this as the final straw," one Colorado City resident told the Success by phone. "Even Warren's followers are sick about this and are praying that he will step aside or be forced out of power."

Eldorado connection
It is unclear if any of the fallout from the Salt Lake City lawsuit will reach to Schleicher County. But, the fact that two of Brent Jeffs' attorneys are from Texas indicates that the FLDS church's ongoing building program at the YFZ Ranch is of great interest to the plaintiff.

As part of the lawsuit, Brent Jeffs is asking that a Utah State Judge issue a temporary restraining order to prohibit the FLDS church and its trust fund the United Effort Plan (UEP) from "dissipating or otherwise disposing of their assets" until the case can be decided on its merits. If granted, the restraining order could bring construction at the YFZ Ranch to a halt until the lawsuit was tried in court. Brent's attorneys said they hoped to get a hearing on that request some time next week.

The Eldorado Success invites Warren Jeffs and/or other leaders of the FLDS church to comment on this or any other story surrounding the FLDS and the YFZ Ranch