Capítulo 1
The Dark Kingdom: Inside Warren Jeffs' FLDS Empire
On a frigid November morning in 2010, an emaciated Warren Jeffs shuffled across the Salt Lake International Airport tarmac in prison stripes and shackles, escorted by two imposing officers including a Texas Ranger with his iconic silver star badge. Despite his frail appearance, this unassuming man commanded absolute obedience from 10,000 followers who believed his every word came directly from God. The New York Times bestseller "Prophet's Prey" has captivated readers since its release, with celebrities like Jon Krakauer praising it as "the definitive work on the FLDS." The book's revelations sparked a documentary executive produced by Robert Redford and prompted legislative changes in multiple states. Private investigator Sam Brower's seven-year pursuit of this pedophile prophet offers a chilling glimpse into America's most dangerous cult-one that continues to operate in plain sight.
Capítulo 2
A Parallel Universe of Terror and Control
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) operates as a parallel society within America's borders-a secretive theocracy where one man's word is absolute law. My investigation began innocently enough in January 2004, when I spotted a newspaper photo of Ross Chatwin holding up "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" while defying Warren Jeffs' order to leave his home. Curious, I drove to Short Creek-the twin towns of Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah-to meet this rare FLDS defector.
Ross and his wife Lori lived with their five children in an unfinished basement, ostracized by the community for attempting to arrange their own plural marriage without the prophet's permission. When I arrived at their partially constructed home, Ross greeted me warmly despite his precarious situation. Unlike most FLDS members who practiced polygamy, the Chatwins had remained monogamous during their twelve years together-though not by choice. Their unauthorized courtship attempt had violated FLDS protocol where only Warren Jeffs could decide who married whom.
The consequences were severe. Ross was ordered to write out all his sins to be compared against a divinely revealed "true list"-an impossible test to pass. He was then excommunicated and told to leave immediately with no contact with his family. Unusually for an FLDS wife, Lori refused to abandon Ross, declaring "I love him, not Warren." This defiance made them targets in a community where the church controlled everything from housing to employment to basic utilities.
What I witnessed in Short Creek defied belief-pickup trucks with menacing dark-tinted windows tried forcing me off the road, police officers called "Uncle Warren" for instructions rather than following the law, and church work crews invaded private homes with impunity. The town marshal, a 300-pound man wearing a badge and gun but dressed like any FLDS member, threw legal documents to the ground declaring "This doesn't mean anything to me." I realized I had crossed an invisible boundary into a place where American laws and constitutional rights simply didn't apply.
Capítulo 3
The Making of a Prophet: Rulon and Warren Jeffs
To understand Warren Jeffs, one must understand his father Rulon, as between them they hijacked the fundamentalist Mormon movement and established unchecked power for fifty years. Unlike mainstream Mormons who abandoned polygamy in 1890 following federal pressure, a small group of die-hard polygamists refused, claiming the church had abandoned "God's will." These dissidents were excommunicated and driven underground, creating isolated communities like Short Creek.
Rulon Timpson Jeffs was born in Salt Lake City in 1909, the intelligent son of a secret polygamist. After serving as a Mormon missionary in London, he secured a government position with the Utah State Tax Commission and married Grace Zola Brown, daughter of influential LDS apostle Hugh B. Brown. His life changed dramatically in 1938 when his father revealed his own secret polygamist life and introduced Rulon to the underground fundamentalist movement. Rulon immediately embraced these teachings, telling his wife he wanted to marry a shopgirl as an additional wife. When she objected and her father demanded Rulon abandon these "heretical ideas," Rulon refused. Zola divorced him and moved to California with their sons, while Rulon accumulated dozens of wives.
Rulon quickly rose through fundamentalist ranks, becoming an apostle, patriarch, and eventually one of seven members on the Priesthood Council that governed their organization. In 1942, the fundamentalists created the United Effort Plan Trust (UEP), a socialist scheme where members pooled all assets and real estate. With his financial acumen as a tax accountant, Rulon became a trustee, eventually controlling millions through his private trust.
Warren Steed Jeffs was born prematurely on December 3, 1955, to Rulon's wife Merilyn Steed. Though he was Rulon's fourteenth child and third born that year alone, Warren became his father's favorite. The skinny, far-sighted boy grew up privileged within the community but struggled outside it. By age eight, Warren had developed a reputation as a voyeur-female relatives recall taping newspapers over windows and stuffing towels under doors to prevent him from peeping. Despite his social awkwardness, Warren was academically gifted and quickly rose to principal of the FLDS school, Alta Academy-an extraordinary position of power for someone not yet twenty-one.
This school became Warren's training ground for abuse. Each day began with his hypnotic monotone broadcasts, followed by religious indoctrination that left many students functionally illiterate. Former students described Warren's savage beatings with yardsticks and sexual abuse of both boys and girls under the guise of enforcing rules. Parents rarely questioned these abuses, fearing Warren's position as the prophet's son.
Capítulo 4
The Disposable Children: Lost Boys and Child Brides
One of the FLDS's most horrific practices is the systematic expulsion of young boys to maintain a gender imbalance benefiting older men seeking child brides. These "Lost Boys" are abandoned for trivial offenses like watching television, unbuttoning shirt collars, or flirting with girls. While girls are valued as potential brides and kept within the community, boys as young as eleven are routinely expelled-driven to the highway with a small bag of belongings and warnings not to contact their families again.
I've witnessed children as young as eight working dangerous construction jobs in sweltering heat, their wages going to their fathers. One twelve-year-old described how his father took him to dinner, then announced Warren Jeffs had declared him a "bad seed" who endangered his family's salvation. His father drove him to the highway with a small bag of belongings and abandoned him. Even Rulon Jeffs' own sons weren't exempt, some dismissed as "bastards, not sons." Hundreds have been discarded this way, creating a permanent underclass of traumatized young men.
Dan Fischer, a former polygamist who had left the FLDS a decade earlier, became a crucial lifeline for these Lost Boys. After finding success inventing teeth-whitening systems, he created the Diversity Foundation to provide food, shelter, education, and life skills training for these abandoned children. Despite the FLDS's campaign of smears against him, Dan refused to reciprocate their hatred, focusing instead on rebuilding shattered lives.
Meanwhile, girls faced a different but equally disturbing fate. Warren accelerated his practice of forcing young girls into marriages with older men, documenting in the "Priesthood Record" that "young girls of this community, those who are pure and righteous will be taken care of at a younger age." He claimed there was "no such thing as an underage Priesthood marriage" despite knowing the legal consequences. In November 2003, Warren married 13-year-old Ida Vilate Jessop, daughter of his loyal follower Merril Jessop, after fabricating a revelation that she was in mortal danger. Though he told her father she would be "raised up as a daughter and gradually as a wife," Warren privately noted, "she looks like a natural wife, already."
Capítulo 5
Blood Atonement: The Ultimate Control Mechanism
Blood atonement-the doctrine that certain sinners must shed their own blood to be forgiven-remained a terrifying reality within the FLDS. Every former member I interviewed confirmed its existence as a core principle, though none had witnessed it firsthand. A widow of Rulon's described how she and a sister-wife once questioned Warren about the practice after reading Rulon's book claiming some sins were so heinous that "even the atonement of the Savior was insufficient."
Warren enthusiastically confirmed it as "a true and correct principle," detailing a ritual where the sinner would be bound to a stone altar with specific ropes and knots, their throat cut with a special knife, and their blood partially consumed by priesthood members to seal their secrecy oath, with the rest burned as an offering to God.
The threat of blood atonement kept members in line, as demonstrated in the case of Vanessa Rohbock. Her father Ron admitted he was "ordered to love his daughter enough to carry out the edict"-to kill her for a chance at salvation-after Warren commanded him to "pray night and day for the Lord to destroy her from the face of the earth." Only intervention by Canadian authorities stopped this "blood atonement" crusade against the girl.
Warren's power to instill fear was tested in 2001 when a chained guard dog killed a convert's baby. He seized the opportunity by having Uncle Fred announce that "Prophet Rulon" had received a revelation that pets had no place among "pure and clean people of the priesthood." After a grace period, enforcers Willie and Dee Jessop rounded up all dogs in Short Creek. The animals were taken to Berry Knoll and initially shot, but when gunfire proved too noisy, they were electrocuted with jumper cables from truck batteries. The howls echoed across the valley. No dogs or cats exist in FLDS strongholds to this day-a diabolical test of loyalty that proved to Warren that followers would make even greater sacrifices when commanded.
Capítulo 6
The Succession: Warren's Rise to Absolute Power
As Rulon Jeffs deteriorated from strokes and dementia, Warren became the puppet-master, controlling his father completely. Warren would arrange church services where his father sat silently before blurting accusations like "The judgments of God are upon you!" Warren persuaded Rulon to sign over management of the United Effort Plan Trust, giving Warren control of millions in assets.
To quell dissent, Warren invented a story that Rulon would live for hundreds of years, though Rulon himself couldn't remember this "vision." Warren used this myth to justify marrying young girls to his father, removing them from the marriage pool while planning to eventually take them as his own wives.
Rulon Jeffs died on September 8, 2002, after being rushed to the hospital with an obstructed bowel. The death shocked followers who had believed Warren's promise that Rulon would live for centuries. At the funeral, wives sang "Our Prophet Is Caught Up," still expecting Rulon to return. Instead, Warren seized control, standing tall beside the grave "aglow with heavenly brightness" as his long wait for power ended.
Warren wasted no time grieving, announcing just two days after Rulon's death: "I'm here to tell you men, hands off my father's wives!" Breaking a biblical taboo, he claimed his father's wives for himself, explaining this was to "carry on" his father's work. When challenged about violating the Law of Moses, Warren created rambling revelations and warned that critics were "treading down the path to apostasy." Most wives eventually submitted, though "Lorraine" refused and escaped after Warren threatened, "I'm going to break you, young lady."
With no formal succession protocol in the FLDS, Warren moved quickly to secure leadership. His main rival was Fred Jessop (Uncle Fred), the beloved but sterile bishop of Short Creek who collected church tithes. To legitimize his claim, Warren enlisted Mother Mary to testify that Rulon had wanted Warren as successor. More importantly, Warren's brother Isaac claimed Rulon had repeatedly stated "Warren is going to be the next leader"-conveniently after Rulon's death and despite Warren previously claiming Rulon had "the mind of a child." With these questionable testimonies and Fred's reluctant acquiescence, Warren named himself prophet, seer and revelator.
Capítulo 7
The Criminal Enterprise: FLDS Business Operations
Despite Short Creek's shabby appearance, significant money flows through the FLDS community-all directed to the prophet. The community operates numerous businesses across multiple states, including construction companies like R&W Excavation and Paragon Contractors that build public infrastructure nationwide. Some smaller FLDS operations function as scams, defaulting on equipment loans after acquisition.
The organization has even developed sophisticated technology, including night-vision components and "smart clothing" for soldiers, with Pentagon connections. One notable example was Utah Tool & Die (founded by Rulon Jeffs), which became HydraPak and later the sole subcontractor producing O-rings for Morton Thiokol. After the Challenger disaster, the company changed names and locations multiple times to evade legal scrutiny.
The FLDS employs professional grant writers to secure government funds and uses wives as nominal corporate officers to gain minority contract preferences. They undercut competitors using free child labor, while consecrating all profits to support church legal fees and leadership's extravagant lifestyle.
Short Creek residents primarily survive on government welfare while refusing to contribute taxes, considering this "bleeding the beast" a religious duty. The community consistently ranks among Arizona's top recipients of homeland security grants, securing expensive equipment like $25,000 night-vision goggles. With no housing expenses (as the UEP Trust assigned all property), residents purchase luxury vehicles like "plyg-rig" trucks with dark tinted windows.
As Warren's power grew, so did his paranoia about rebellion and apostasy. He redefined "priesthood" as whatever authority he wanted it to represent, creating an impossible standard where members feared both action and inaction could result in punishment. Warren established a surveillance system using teenage members of the Aaronic Priesthood as informants who entered homes at will to ensure compliance with his rules. He banned movies, television, rock music (which he called "devil worship"), books, magazines, flashy clothes, sports gatherings, dancing, holidays (including Christmas), and even wearing the color red.
Capítulo 8
The Texas Compound and the Beginning of the End
Overwhelmed by mounting legal pressure, Warren decided to disappear. "The Lord has directed me to move away," he told his wives. His first hideout, code-named "Refuge One" or "R-1," was purchased in July 2003 through an FLDS shell corporation called Sherwood Management near Mancos, Colorado. Later, he found an even more attractive property in West Texas, where marriage laws allowed girls as young as fourteen to marry with parental consent. David Allred purchased 1,371 acres near Eldorado, which Warren called both "R-17" and "Zion."
Warren arrived in Texas under false pretenses, telling curious neighbors they were building a private hunting lodge. After exploring the property and planning where to build the temple, houses, and other facilities, he returned to Short Creek for a decisive Saturday Work Meeting that would cement his power.
At dawn on January 10, 2004, Warren Jeffs stood at the speaker's platform in the LeRoy S. Johnson Meeting House and expelled seventeen men from the FLDS, including four of his own brothers and four influential Barlow brothers. He accused the Barlows of "idolatry" for erecting monuments in Short Creek and forming "a counterfeit government." The expelled men were ordered to leave town immediately, their marriages dissolved, and their wives and children reassigned to other men.
Warren constantly traveled between hideouts, including a new refuge in South Dakota's Black Hills code-named R-23. He micromanaged his flock by phone while focusing on his masterpiece in Texas-a four-level temple with precise divine specifications. He secretly copied mainstream LDS temple designs from the internet while claiming God gave him the instructions. Most disturbing was his order for a special wheeled table that converted to a bed, placed in the temple's Holy of Holies, complete with plastic covering "to protect the mattress from what will happen on it" and ropes.
The FLDS cover was fully blown when activist Flora Jessop contacted the Eldorado Success, revealing the true identity of the compound's owners. As national media descended on Eldorado, government inspections were demanded. Warren blamed his followers for lacking "faith to keep them away" and ordered women and children to hide during official visits.
Capítulo 9
The Texas Raid and Warren's Capture
On March 29, 2008, a distressing call from a young woman identifying herself as "Sarah" reached the New Bridge Family Shelter. Over several calls, she claimed to be a 16-year-old FLDS member forced into marriage with a 49-year-old man who regularly beat her. The Texas Rangers determined there was probable cause to search the YFZ Ranch, and on April 3, Judge Barbara Walther signed a search warrant.
When authorities arrived, Bishop Merril Jessop stalled for hours, falsely claiming only about 250 people lived on the ranch. During these delays, FLDS men positioned about twenty pickup trucks along the entrance road with some fifty men loitering around them-a visible threat to the search team. After nearly three hours and a final warning that Jessop would be arrested for obstruction, the bishop relented and allowed the authorities to enter.
Once inside, authorities discovered the population far exceeded Jessop's claim, with hundreds of uncooperative residents present. Child Protective Services workers attempted to interview girls but faced systematic obstruction. By day's end, 162 FLDS children were removed to temporary shelters. The number would eventually grow to 463.
When authorities prepared to enter the temple, FLDS men formed a perimeter, praying loudly for "whirlwind judgments" upon the officers. As a battering ram pounded the massive oak doors for over an hour, the men sang hymns and chanted for divine intervention. When the doors finally broke, the men collapsed in anguish, believing their unworthiness had prevented God's protection.
Inside, investigators discovered secret passageways leading to an underground bunker secured by an eighteen-inch steel door. After drilling through the foundation, they found Warren Jeffs' "Priesthood Record"-detailed chronicles containing evidence of numerous crimes, including his sexual assaults on children.
Warren Jeffs's capture came unexpectedly on August 28, 2006, when Nevada Highway Patrol officer Eddie Dutchover pulled over a red Cadillac Escalade for an obscured license plate. The SUV contained an arsenal of fugitive equipment: police scanners, GPS devices, laptops, dozens of cell phones, disguises, $27,500 in $100 bills, $10,000 in prepaid credit cards, additional cash in envelopes, and keys to ten luxury SUVs.
Capítulo 10
Justice at Last: The Trial and Conviction
When the trial commenced in September 2007, the author's main duty was ensuring the safety and security of key witness Elissa Wall during court proceedings. FLDS representative Willie Jessop attempted to exert influence through his presence outside official buildings and in the courtroom, until authorities required his removal.
Elissa provided compelling testimony about her underage marriage to her 19-year-old cousin Allen Steed, her appeals to Warren Jeffs to prevent the union, and the subsequent abuse she endured. Her sisters supported her account, with one explaining the FLDS principle of "keep sweet": "One was expected to maintain a pleasant demeanor regardless of circumstances... This was presented as a way to overcome internal struggles."
On September 25, 2007, Jeffs was found guilty on all charges and received two consecutive five-years-to-life sentences. However, in summer 2010, the Utah Supreme Court overturned the conviction due to incorrect jury instructions, as determined by Justice Jill N. Parrish. This development, combined with avoided prosecution in Arizona, left Jeffs temporarily without any standing convictions, which his followers interpreted as divine intervention.
On November 30, 2010, Jeffs was transferred to Texas while in custody. During his confinement, his health had declined significantly-showing signs of severe psychological distress, requiring medical intervention for nutrition, and developing physical ailments from extended periods of prayer.
At Reagan County Jail, Jeffs received an unexpected privilege: telephone access in his cell. This communication ability revitalized him, and he quickly resumed leadership activities. From his cell, he initiated significant organizational changes, removing numerous leaders by April 2011. He instructed followers to document and pledge all their possessions-including property, businesses, and personal items-to the church. Many members complied, demonstrating continued devotion.
The Texas prosecution presented substantial evidence of serious crimes against minors, including documented incidents involving a twelve-year-old identified as Merrianne Jessop. Additional evidence from the temple investigation revealed concerning ceremonial practices involving minors, which proved crucial to the case.
Capítulo 11
The Aftermath: A Community Still in Shadow
Despite Warren Jeffs's imprisonment, the FLDS continues to operate, with thousands of followers still believing in their prophet's divine authority. In the FLDS worldview, Warren Jeffs's imprisonment makes him a martyr, with jail cell replicas inside the LeRoy S. Johnson Meeting House serving as constant reminders of their prophet's sacrifice.
The consequences of generations of intermarriage have created severe genetic problems. Short Creek has the world's largest concentration of Fumarase Deficiency cases, a devastating genetic disease traced back to founder Joseph Smith Jessop and his relatives. This condition interrupts cellular metabolism, causing brain abnormalities, physical deformities, and severe seizures. Most victims die young, and survivors face lifelong disability. Despite medical professionals urging genetic testing before marriage, church leaders refuse outside interference in what they consider God's will.
Ruth Cook exemplifies the town's cruelty toward its vulnerable members. After her daughter died from Fumarase Deficiency complications (the clinic staff did nothing, claiming the child was "too pure for earth"), Ruth's mental health deteriorated. Having been molested by her father and later institutionalized for complaining about priesthood members molesting her daughter, she became homeless but remained determined to stay in Short Creek. The townspeople openly despise her-she's been assaulted, shot in the head with an air rifle, and repeatedly removed from town by police who tell her "we don't need your kind."
Staging a coup against Warren remains risky business, even from prison. He's masterfully spread culpability for his crimes among followers, securing loyalty through fear that their own involvement will be exposed-a fear that subtly touches every FLDS family. Investigations into Mann Act violations and financial crimes continue but charges have yet to be filed against FLDS leadership.
Despite years of ups and downs, significant progress has been made in exposing FLDS atrocities. Warren Jeffs, now a shell of a man, left behind countless recordings and documents proving his unspeakable crimes. The real challenge isn't convincing those in the trenches, but awakening elected officials to the systemic abuse happening among their constituents. While great strides have been made, lasting change requires FLDS leadership to accept responsibility for their criminal actions and commit to never again abusing children. Until that day, vigilance remains essential to protect the innocent victims of America's most dangerous cult.
