Do polygamists own Texas site?

ST. GEORGE — An anti-polygamy activist believes a large ranch compound in rural Schleicher County, Texas, has been purchased by those with links to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, led by Warren Jeffs.

On the other hand, those who recently sold the ranch and other parcels say they have been told the land is to be used as a "corporate hunting retreat."

Former members and close observers also have been predicting that Jeffs has plans to order his followers to move to Mexico.

Activist Flora Jessop says the ranch's new owners are polygamists and said she fears the property could be used for child trafficking, moving underage children, including potential brides, from region to region.

Her comments — which she plans to reiterate publicly today from the steps of the sheriff's office in the small town of Eldorado — are outlined in a press release delivered to the news media on Wednesday.

Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran will be on hand at today's press conference to keep an eye on things and provide a statement to reporters that urges "cooler heads to prevail."

Jessop alleges the owners of a 1,371-acre parcel of hunting ground in the county are members of the FLDS Church, the nation's largest polygamist congregation, based in Colorado City, Ariz., and Hildale, Washington County.

Recent internal disputes, dissent and news of young family members fleeing the polygamous community have prompted intense scrutiny in recent months by law enforcement, politicians and the media.

The FLDS Church, according to Jessop, could easily transport young girls from the twin cities to the new Texas site, where several large buildings have been constructed. Aerial photos of the site, obtained by KSL-TV, show three large buildings under construction.

After that, Jessop says in her press release, "This new encampment is going to make it easier for them (the FLDS Church) to traffic girls to Mexico, the same as they have been doing to Canada."

The property, which was sold in November 2003 to a company called "YFZ Land, LLC," which lists a post office box in Washington city near St. George. David Allred, who owns a truss company in Hildale, is mentioned by Jessop as the man to watch.

"Allred is known to be closely associated with Warren Jeffs," according to the press release. Jeffs, 48, is president of the FLDS Church, which boasts nearly 10,000 members in several states and Canada.