Texas sheriff defends raid on YFZ Ranch in one-on-one interview with Deseret News

ELDORADO, Texas — He was the man at the gates in the white cowboy hat and the folksy southern drawl.

Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran was one of the few outsiders whom the FLDS would initially allow onto the YFZ Ranch, and he cultivated a relationship with them. That relationship has been severely strained in the aftermath of the raid on the YFZ Ranch.

"I did not have the power to step in and stop this," Doran said. "The state of Texas had an investigation. They had a call, an outcry of a child they had to investigate and we are there to support that type of investigation. Where there is crimes that are being committed, and outcries being made, we're going to go in and investigate it."

In a lengthy and frank interview with the Deseret News on Tuesday, Doran spoke about the raid on the YFZ Ranch and what happens next.

"We will still attempt to cultivate that relationship the best that we can," he said. "I know there's a distrust there. I didn't bring that distrust on. I didn't change my way."

Doran defended the April 3 raid that led to the removal of hundreds of children from the YFZ Ranch. He said no one knew going onto the YFZ Ranch how many children were there, or how many would be removed. He said FLDS leaders had maintained there were approximately 100 men, women and children on the ranch.

Hundreds of children are returning home today after the Texas Supreme Court and Austin's 3rd Court of Appeals ruled there was not enough evidence to justify the removal of all of the children.

The raid was prompted by a phone call from a 16-year-old "Sarah," claiming she was pregnant and in an abusive, polygamous marriage to an older man. Even today, Doran remains unsure if Sarah really exists or is a hoax.

The criminal case is progressing, and he expects charges will likely be filed against FLDS members — including sect leader Warren Jeffs.

"He is definitely a person of interest, obviously because of the warrant that was issued for his DNA and some of the pictures that came out," the sheriff said.

The following are excerpts from the interview:

Deseret News: Looking back on this, what do you think? It's certainly taken many twists and turns.