Deal struck over Jeffs' evidence?

"The driver of the Escalade was removed from the vehicle for questioning, whereupon he told the trooper that he and his two companions in the Escalade were on a one-week vacation," FBI Special Agent Martin Schwarz wrote. "The driver stated that they had been to San Francisco, Calif., to see the ocean and that they were travelling to Hilldale (sic), Utah."

The trooper questioned "John Findley," who said they were on their way back to Denver.

After getting the driver's consent to search, the trooper found envelopes addressed to "President Jeffs" and two yellow envelopes containing cash, debit cards and tools. FBI agents arrived on the scene and spoke to "John Findley," who admitted he was Warren Jeffs.

A search warrant for the Escalade was filed days later.

"The FBI inventory found numerous items, including hundreds of documents, computers, cash, debit cards, several electronic devices, wigs, and masks," Schwarz wrote.

A few days after Jeffs' arrest, Wright filed an emergency motion in federal court seeking to have the papers either returned to the FLDS leader or sealed. The U.S. Attorney's Office claims a deal was made to let Jeffs' attorneys review the seized evidence. Federal authorities have organized a special "taint team" of lawyers to look at the documents and computer files and settle any disputes over what is privileged.

Jeffs' lawyers are crafting a list of evidence they believe is privileged, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"Mr. Jeffs concedes that 'adequate safeguards are in place' to protect the allegedly privileged seized materials," Bennett wrote.

In the court documents, the U.S. Attorney's Office said that Jeffs remains "the subject of an ongoing federal investigation." U.S. Attorney's spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch would not comment beyond that statement on Wednesday.

Federal prosecutors have also asked that any future legal challenges be moved from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City, where the FBI's case is based.

Meanwhile, lawyers for the financial arm of the FLDS Church want a judge to let them see what the FBI seized. The lawyers have filed court papers asking to see if any evidence has to do with the United Effort Plan Trust, which is now under a Utah court's control.

Jeffs is facing an April trial on charges of rape as an accomplice. He is accused of performing a child bride marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin.

---

E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com