A compound of the Fundamentalist LDS Church recently discovered in South Dakota may be part of a network of safe houses scattered across the country that help keep fugitive polygamous leader Warren Jeffs from being apprehended.
That's according to a private investigator who helped find the polygamous enclave near Pringle, which is nestled in the Black Hills southwest of Rapid City. Sam Brower has been probing the FLDS group for years on behalf of former members who are suing Jeffs.
"I think they're scattered all over," Brower said Thursday. "Some may be as small as just one or two houses and others larger compounds like this. I think he has a network of safehouses that he can cruise around to."
In fact, Jeffs may have been spotted last year on the property.
"One of the people that lives in that area thinks they saw Warren Jeffs out there last summer," Brower said. "They believe it is. It could be Warren or one of his brothers."
The FBI said Thursday it was aware of the property in South Dakota.
"We do not have any definitive information that Jeffs is hiding on that property," said special agent Deborah McCarley of the FBI's Phoenix office. "Any information which comes in to suggest he is hiding anywhere, we are going to look into that quickly."
Brower said the property includes a dormitory, a cafeteria, a couple of large houses and a granary under construction. About 60 people are believed to be living there. License plates on vehicles doing construction at the Black Hills site were traced to Colorado City, Ariz., companies, he said.
The South Dakota property purchase is similar to how the FLDS Church went about buying its compound in Eldorado, Texas. At first, local authorities were told it would be a "hunting retreat." Now, Eldorado is the site of what is believed to be the FLDS Church's first temple. Brower said he does not believe the South Dakota property could become another temple site.
"I think it's going to be more like Mancos," Brower said, referring to another FLDS-owned property in Colorado. "They don't have enough room to spread out like Eldorado. This is more like a hideout."
The sheriff of Custer County, S.D. — where the new FLDS compound is located — is unconcerned about his new neighbors.
"We've got people from all over the world that owns property here," Sheriff Philip Hespen said Thursday. "I don't show up and ask everybody nosy questions that the news media would like to know."
Hespen said he hasn't dealt with anybody on the property, but he did confirm that he has spoken to the FBI about the FLDS enclave in the Black Hills. He called all of the attention the property is getting "hype."
"We have Hell's Angels and Banditos that own property here, also," he said, referring to a pair of notorious biker gangs. "If we see this character, then we'll scoop him up."
Warren Jeffs was indicted by a grand jury in Mohave County, Ariz., last year on charges related to performing child-bride marriages. He has been placed on the FBI's Most Wanted List, and a $60,000 reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
Investigators believe Jeffs is being supported in his run from the law by money from his followers.
"I think their funding is coming from tithing," said Bruce R. Wisan, the court-appointed special fiduciary for the United Effort Plan (UEP) Trust. Wisan said he did not believe the funding for the South Dakota property came from the UEP's estimated $110 million assets.
"We're checking it out," said Jeffrey L. Shields, an attorney for the fiduciary. "We're investigating."
In June 2005, a judge froze the assets of the UEP Trust, which controls homes, buildings and businesses in the polygamous border towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz. Wisan was appointed to oversee the trust, and the courts recently appointed an advisory board.
All active members of the FLDS Church pay tithing, giving their money to leaders in the community, Wisan said.
"I have no idea how the flow of money is conducted," he said. "I've heard of people putting cash in envelopes and sending it to certain places."
In October 2005, Warren Jeffs' brother, Seth, was arrested near Pueblo, Colo. Federal agents said he had $142,000 in cash, letters addressed to "The Prophet" and a glass jar with the words "Pennies for the Prophet" printed on the side. Seth Jeffs is charged with hiding a fugitive from authorities. His case is still pending in a Denver federal court.
In addition to the bases of Hildale and Colorado City, the FLDS Church is now believed to have enclaves in Pioche, Nev.; Mancos, Colo.; Eldorado, Texas; Bountiful, British Columbia, Canada — and now Pringle, S.D.
Brower said he hopes the revelation of the Black Hills property prompts authorities to keep a closer eye out for Warren Jeffs.
"I hope so," he said. "I hope it spurns more action to finding him."
E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com