Arrest warrants issued for three Jeffs followers
Randy Barlow, 32, Kelly Fischer, 38, and Dale Barlow, 47, all of Colorado City, AZ, are wanted by the law in Arizona, according to Mohave County Attorney Matthew Smith. They are all members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and followers of the church’s self-appointed prophet, Warren Jeffs. Like Jeffs, the three men were reportedly indicted by a Mohave County grand jury and face felony charges in Kingman, AZ.
Randy Barlow, the youngest of the three, faces the most serious charge, that of Sexual Assault of a Child, a 3rd degree felony in Arizona.
Authorities tell the Success that Randy Barlow is the son Truman Barlow, who served as a trustee of the church’s United Effort Plan (UEP) trust until he and the remaining panel of trustees were removed last week by Utah District Judge Deno Himonas.
$10K reward offered for info on Warren Jeffs
FBI joins the hunt as federal warrant is issued for fugitive prophet
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard announced a $10,000 reward Wednesday, for information leading to the arrest of fugitive FLDS prophet Warren Jeffs. Persons with information about Jeffs or his whereabouts are encouraged to call 1-800-526-1911 or 1-928-753-2141. Callers may remain anonymous. Jeffs was indicted on felony charges in Arizona and stands accused of Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Conspiracy to Commit Sexual Conduct with a Minor. The charges stem from his role in arranging marriages and performing marriage ceremonies between underage girls and older men who were already married.
Goddard’s press secretary, Andrea Esquer told the Success that the reward is being offered as a cooperative effort between the offices of the Arizona and Utah attorneys general and Mohave County’s Silent Witness Program. Each state is putting up half the money for the reward.
AZ jails eight Jeffs followers


Top Row (L-R): Dale Evans Barlow, David Romaine Bateman, Donald Robert Barlow, Kelly Fischer; Bottom Row (L-R): Randolph Joseph Barlow, Rodney Hans Holm, Terry Darger Barlow, Vergel Bryce Jessop
The increasing pressure on Warren Jeffs comes even as Arizona authorities continue to pursue his followers, arresting one of them on Friday, July 8, 2005 at his home in Colorado City, AZ. Seven other FLDS members surrendered to authorities on Monday, July 11th. All eight of them had been indicted by the same grand jury that handed up the charges against Jeffs.
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Prophet still a no-show
Law enforcement officials in Arizona, Texas and Utah remain on the lookout for Warren Jeffs, the self-appointed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jeffs was indicted by a Mohave County Arizona grand jury June 9, 2005 on two felony counts of Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Conspiracy to Commit Sexual Conduct with a Minor.
Since that time eight of Jeffs followers have been jailed on similar charges, but the prophet remains at large and a $10,000 reward offered jointly by the states of Arizona and Utah for information leading to Jeffs’ arrest has yet to be claimed.
YFZ update
Here in Schleicher County, work continues at the YFZ Ranch, particularly on and around the massive temple building. Scaffold supports are being erected on the north side of the building, apparently in preparation for the application of limestone blocks, similar to stone that has already been applied to much of the building’s south side.
UEP trustee hearing scheduled for today
Utah District Judge Denise Lindberg is slated to consider the future of the United Effort Plan Trust today at a hearing in Salt Lake City, UT. The trust, once controlled by Warren Jeffs, the self-appointed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), has been under the control of a receiver since June when another judge, Judge Deno Himonas, removed Jeffs and several of his cronies from their positions as UEP trustees .
The UEP trust was originally established for the benefit and protection of FLDS members. Most of the property in the twin towns of Colorado City, AZ and Hildale, UT, is owned by the trust and FLDS members have traditionally been allowed to build their homes and businesses on the land. However, in recent years, the trust has been used to reward Jeffs most loyal followers and punish those who question his authority or otherwise fail to bend to his will.
AZ officials to take over schools in polygamist town
Arizona authorities, who seized a truckload of records from the Colorado City Unified School District in May, now stand ready to take over operation of the district that serves the polygamist communities of Colorado City, AZ and Hildale, UT, the two towns where many of the residents of the YFZ Ranch once called home before moving to Texas.
A law passed by the Arizona legislature last spring, giving the state authority over mismanaged school districts, goes into effect on Friday, August 12th.
The law will allow the state’s Board of Education to appoint a receiver to oversee administration CCUSD, including the district’s financial dealings, which thrust the school into the public spotlight in the first place.
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard and the state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne urged the legislature to act last spring after the district missed deadlines to file budget reports and ran out of money to pay teachers and other staff. The financial crisis lasted several months until one of CCUSD’s insurers began to cover the district’s debts.
No sooner had the legislature acted than agents from Goddards office raided CCUSD offices, seizing records and computers. Authorities said the action was taken to prevent evidence from being hidden or destroyed.
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