Ex charged with rape in FLDS case

ST. GEORGE — Washington County prosecutors charged Allen Glade Steed, who testified for the defense in the rape as an accomplice trial of Warren Jeffs, with first-degree felony rape in 5th District Court Wednesday.

Judge Eric Ludlow signed an arrest warrant for Steed and set bail at $50,000 cash only. Steed, 26, works as a truck driver. If convicted, Steed could be sentenced to five years to life in prison.

Steed's attorney, Jim Bradshaw, said Wednesday, "We are trying to schedule a hearing so that Allen can surrender. He will turn himself in next week.

"We're also going to ask for a bail reduction. This is a guy who voluntarily testified at the trial and cooperated every way that the state asked him to. It is excessive bail."

According to court documents filed by Washington County sheriff's deputy Jake Schultz, the single rape charge stems from testimony Steed and his former wife, Elissa Wall, gave during Jeffs' recently completed trial.

Prosecutors charge that Steed had sexual intercourse with Elissa Wall without her consent "on or about a certain day or days between April 14, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2004."

Wall responded to the charge by issuing a prepared statement through her civil attorney, Roger Hoole. Wall is suing Jeffs and the financial arm of the Fundamentalist LDS Church, which Jeffs leads as its president and prophet.

"Allen Steed was both a victim of Warren Jeffs and a perpetrator of child abuse," Wall said in the statement read by Hoole. "We have seen the justice system bring out the truth, and I am confident it will again."

Hoole said Wall had no comment on the question of whether Steed should have been charged with rape or some lesser sexual abuse charge.

Washington County deputy attorney Brian Filter said prosecutors decided not to narrow down the time frame of the alleged rape at this point.

"We believe there was at least one incident of sexual intercourse during the time frame that constitutes the crime alleged," Filter said. "As things proceed, that decision will become clear."

Filter said prosecutors waited to file the charge against Steed after weighing several factors, including the impact it would have on a deliberating jury. The charges were ready to be filed on Sept. 21, two days after Steed testified in court.

"We said previously not to read too much into the fact that Allen Steed hadn't been charged yet," he said. "We also wanted to avoid a media circus."