The Voice of Eldorado and Schleicher County Since 1901

Prophet hunt begins at Eldorado

August 19, 2004
Sheriff David Doran and private investigator Sam Brower of Cedar City, Utah, served a summons Sunday afternoon to Merrill Jessop at the entrance to the YFZ Ranch on County Road 300. The summons directs FLDS Prophet Warren Jeffs to respond within 20 days to a lawsuit filed against him by his nephew, Brent Jeffs. The lawsuit alleges that Warren Jeffs, and two of his brothers, Blaine Jeffs and Leslie Jeffs, sexually abused their nephew when he was a young boy.

You have been served -- Merrill Jessop, a member of the senior leadership in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, met Sheriff David Doran and Private Investigator Sam Brower at the YFZ Ranch gate Sunday afternoon. Brower then served Jessop with a summons in connection with a civil lawsuit filed against the FLDS Church, its Prophet Warren Jeffs, other members of the church and the United Effort Plan, a trust operated by FLDS leaders.

Investigator Sam Brower, who works for the law firm that represents plaintiff Brent Jeffs, said he wanted to deliver the summons directly to Warren Jeffs but adds that he really didn't expect to see the prophet. Merrill Jessop, who met the men at the ranch gate, reportedly told Brower and Sheriff Doran that he wasn't aware if Warren Jeffs had ever been to the YFZ Ranch. "He added that if Warren had actually been here it was only occasionally," Brower said.

Doran met with Brower at the Sheriff's Office where he verified the investigator's license through the State of Utah and reviewed the summons before taking him to the ranch gate. Once there the sheriff placed a call from his cellular phone to the ranch and asked that someone meet him at the gate.

It took nearly an hour, but Merrill Jessop and Paul Allred finally came to the gate to meet with Doran and Brower. At that time the men asked to see Warren Jeffs and was told he wasn't on the property. Brower then gave the summons to Jessop in his capacity as a church official.

But Jessop denied that the YFZ Ranch is associated with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints saying that instead the property is owned by private businessmen.

That conflicts with word coming out of the twin cities of Colorado City, AZ and Hildale, UT, where sources tell the Success that numbers of people have come to Eldorado to work construction on a church mission.

Colorado City, Arizona historian Ben Bistline tells the Success that Merrill Jessop is one of twelve high priests in the FLDS Church, second only in rank and position to Prophet Warren Jeffs. "If MerrilL knows about the lawsuit it's certain that Warren knows about it," Bistline said.

Attorney John Jose, one of four lawyers who represent plaintiff Brent Jeffs, tells the Success that his firm will continue to attempt to serve Warren Jeffs. He said that he hopes Judge Stephen L. Henroid will see that his client has made reasonable efforts to serve a summons on Warren Jeffs and will then allow the summons to be served by publication in a newspaper.

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