From Deseret News archives:

FLDS man strikes plea deal in YFZ raid

Published: Friday, Aug. 15, 2008 12:18 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
ELDORADO, Texas — A young man arrested in the early days of the raid on the Fundamentalist LDS Church's YFZ Ranch has struck a plea bargain with prosecutors here.

Schleicher County prosecutors said Thursday that Levi Barlow Jeffs, 19, recently reached an agreement over a misdemeanor charge of interfering with a public servant.

The deal calls for him to check in with probation officers on a regular basis and have no other violations of the law for a year.

"If he complies with all the terms of the agreement, it'll get dismissed," Schleicher County Attorney Raymond Loomis Jr. told the Deseret News.

A call to Jeffs' attorney was not immediately returned on Thursday. Loomis said Jeffs had no prior criminal history and the incident itself was not egregious.

Jeffs, who is the son of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, reportedly refused to cooperate with authorities who tried to stop a vehicle he was driving while on the YFZ Ranch. Inside the vehicle was a girl, Loomis said.

Story continues below
The case stems from the April raid on the YFZ Ranch where Texas child welfare authorities went to investigate a report from someone claiming to be a pregnant 16-year-old girl in an abusive marriage to an older man. Once on site, authorities said they saw other signs of abuse, prompting a judge to order all of the children removed from the ranch.

The call itself that sparked the raid is still being investigated as a hoax.

Hundreds of children were ultimately returned to their parents after a pair of Texas courts ruled the state acted improperly. Court hearings are scheduled Monday in nearby San Angelo, where Child Protective Services will ask a judge to place eight children back in foster care. CPS claims their mothers have failed to protect them from men involved in underage marriages.

A grand jury here has handed down six indictments on charges ranging from sexual assault to bigamy to failure to report child abuse. One of those indicted is Warren Jeffs.

Levi Barlow Jeffs was one of two people arrested during the raid's early days. A felony tampering with evidence case against Leroy Johnson Steed, 41, is still pending. The grand jury investigating the FLDS case meets again next week.


E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com

Recent comments

Who was the girl with Levi?

Those of us with minds want to know...

Laughing Panfish | April 15, 2009 at 5:04 p.m.

Why is the lie "Saw other signs of abuse" still being repeated as if...

Hugh McBryde | Aug. 16, 2008 at 11:10 a.m.

Perhaps he realized that if the authorities continued to investigate...

A. Nony Mouse | Aug. 16, 2008 at 8:45 a.m.

Image

Levi Barlow Jeffs

previousnext

Latest comments

both teams have worked very hard to get to this point. nothing has been...

'Gays are using the power of law to force everyone, including religious...

So who was PETA speaking for when they got busted for dumping dogs in the...

"Can I have special rights based on my chosen behavior too, Salt Lake City?"...

Editorial: Mormons and gay rights

Of course it is needed. If you need "proof", talk to people who are gay and...

SLC council OKs gay rights policies

If I am right, the Church will actually be affected by this law. While...

Letters: Stifling dissent

I'm sorry what about RNC chair Michael Steele & the Real boss of the...

no stupid penalties! dont give the game away like last year. keep your cool...

I found top ten FAN Bases in Pro Sports from the bleacher report 10:...

I hate to burst your bubble, but the LDS church will close its Temples before...

Advertisements
Advertisement