The Yearning for Zion Ranch, or the YFZ Ranch,[1] was a 1,700-acre (690-hectare) Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) community of as many as 700 people, located near Eldorado in Schleicher County, Texas, United States. The lawsuit against Texas was originally filed in July 2015 but was dismissed based on the states claim of sovereign immunity, which holds that a state cannot be sued without the state legislatures consent. [77], The ACLU maintains that the raid was prompted by a single, unsubstantiated allegation of abuse, and they allege that all children at the ranch were believed at risk solely because of exposure to FLDS beliefs regarding underage marriage. Its always funny because I would call a place halfway across the United States for parts, and Id tell them my shipping address and, Oh, youre from that little town Eldorado with all the Mormons, Kent said, furrowing his brow in displeasure. The ranch and all of its improvements were forfeited to the state in 2014 after Jeffs and nine other men were convicted or pled guilty to bigamy and sex crimes committed on the property. At the peak of 2008, I guess prior to the raid or about the time of the raid, there was probably pushing the number 700 out there.. . June 24, 2010. [59] Swinton posed alternately as "Sarah Barlow" and her sister Laura. [15] Law enforcement officers were armed with automatic weapons, SWAT teams with snipers, helicopters, and Midland County provided an M113 armored personnel carrier as backup, but they were met with no armed resistance. [79] The Los Angeles Times editorially endorsed the appeals court decision, saying CPS "was overzealous in its efforts". sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. [9] When he purchased the property, he declared that the buildings would be a corporate hunting retreat. The lawsuit against Texas was originally filed in July 2015 but was dismissed based on the states claim of sovereign immunity, which holds that a state cannot be sued without the state legislatures consent. Numbers that we never did fathom that was out there, he continued. The broad streets, orchards, water treatment plant and more than 40 large buildings, including a massive white temple, remain intact and functional. [25], CPS spokesman Darrell Azar stated, "There was a systematic process going on to groom these young girls to become brides", and that the children could not be protected from possible future abuse on the ranch. The 1993 standoff between the Branch Davidian Christian sect and the federal government in Waco, Texas, was at the front of peoples minds, said longtime resident J.D. The Ranch was settled by members of the FLDS Church who left Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona under increasing scrutiny from the media, anti- polygamy activists and law enforcement officials. [10] Later, ranch officials disclosed that the hunting retreat description was inaccurate; the buildings were part of the FLDS Church's residential area. After the women regained custody of the children, one half of the families left the Yearning for Zion ranch and moved to another FLDS location. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Unlike hundreds of their peers, the last remaining FLDS members on the YFZ Ranch will be removed from the property quietly and without public fanfare. I moved with my family to Texas two months before the government came in and raided the property (YFZ Ranch). It housed a temple, a waste treatment facility, a 29,000sqft (2,700m2) house for FLDS Church president Warren Jeffs, a meeting house, and several large log and concrete homes. [32][90] DNA testing of children and adults began on the 21st. You're in a difficult situation either way. The cost would be higher if not for his volunteer work on the property, inmate labor used when available and help from city and county departments, he said. As per The Guardian, investigators further learned that several underage girls were forced into [a] spiritual marriage with much older men as soon as they reached puberty and were then made pregnant. These unions were all authorized by none other than the leader or the acting leader of the Church, driving a total of 462 minors (including boys) to be taken into State custody. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff disagreed with the removal: Let's say you're a 6-month-old girl, no evidence whatsoever of any abuse. [26][31] Children under the age of four were allowed to stay with their mothers until DNA testing to identify family relations was finished; once DNA testing was completed, only children under 18 months were allowed to stay with their mothers indefinitely. "It was the cheapest way for the county. In the letter, obtained by the Associated Press, the mothers claim that their children became sick and required hospitalization. According to a report from the San Antonio Express-News, the YFZ Ranch in Schleicher County has been sold after years in limbo. The countys losing taxes, the citys losing taxes, the schools losing taxes and the state is just letting it rot, he said. The countys losing taxes, the citys losing taxes, the schools losing taxes and the state is just letting it rot, he said. On May 13, 2008, a San Antonio judge allowed a couple from the ranch to have daily visits with their children, and granted them a hearing in 10 days to decide their children's custody. [7], The YFZ Land LLC, through its president, David S. Allred, purchased the ranch in 2003 for $700,000[8] and quickly began development on the property. Other than a major grass fire on the property about a year and a half ago, upkeep has been limited to repairing water lines, caring for the orchard and making sure the property remains viable for sale. CPS and law enforcement officials raid the YFZ Ranch compound. We figured out pretty quick that something was going to happen when you got about 75 or 80 [law enforcement officers] running around town, said Michael Kent, manager of Kents Automotive shop in Eldorado. Willie Jessop, former bodyguard and onetime staunch supporter of Jeffs, is in a dispute with the state of Texas. There were multiple other similar accusations against him, but only those heinous incidents that took place at the YFZ Ranch stuck. He claims he has a legal interest in the YFZ Ranch and should receive money from a sale. "They are not a danger to your children. [92] On the 28th, authorities announced that of the 53 girls aged 1417, 31 have children or were pregnant.[93]. Woman reported to police she repeatedly told him, No., Planned Parenthood hopes to offer abortion care in Ogden from new, larger clinic. Judge Barbara Walther heard testimony from State officials, experts called in by the State and witnesses for ranch members over a period of 2 days while hundreds of lawyers representing the children looked on and offered objections. And if the fear and anxiety triggered by the arrival of polygamists from Arizona and Utah has ebbed, the unnerving presence of the prophet lingers. The San Angelo Standard-Times reports members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints settled in a remote area near Eldorado, Texas, and isolated themselves on their self-built compound, the Yearning for Zion Ranch. (Eric Gay | AP Photo) Wendell Jessop, 10, left, stands on the porch at his home with sisters Pearl, 12, and Yvone, 16, on the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado, Texas, Friday, March 27, 2009. A copy of Jessops Utah judgment was filed with the Texas courts July 17, 2012, through a legal tactic known as domesticating, which gives the Utah judgment the same effect as any other judgment in Texas. State officials alleged a pattern of abuse by adults, including marriages between young girls and older men, while ranch residents insisted that no abuse had taken place. ETG Properties has since purchased this estate for about $4.17 million (in November 2018), only to rename it to the appropriate ETG Ranch for good. However, the CPS acted on additional evidence gathered while investigating this complaint, and Flora Jessop and some commentators have expressed gratitude to Swinton that her tip, even if false, allowed exposure of alleged child abuses. Doran was appointed conservator of the property in 2014 by 51st Judicial District Attorney Allison Palmer, who he said has done an amazing job behind the scenes of overseeing the property. Allred stuck with that story even after William Benjamin Johnson, a Hildale man, was alleged to be shooting all the white-tail deer on the ranch and, after an investigation, was fined for hunting without a license. It was a political stand for (then-Attorney General) Mr. Abbott. The property, which is gated off and not open to the public . It was how they left. [16][35] On April 10, law enforcement completed their search of the ranch, returning control of the property to the FLDS Church.[36]. But it wasnt the way they moved in that grabbed peoples attention. ", "Sect children will stay in state custody, judge rules", "Sweep of polygamists' kids raises legal questions", "Children removed from sect in Texas tell of girls forced into sex with older men", "Update: Judge orders all children out of FLDS compound", "Coliseum population down to 260 as mothers divided from children", "FLDS kids may overload Texas' troubled foster care", "FLDS children to stay in care of Texas officials pending court hearing", "Affidavit: Teen brides cry for help led to raid", "Moms and young children from Texas ranch to be parted", "People who have left sect go to Texas to help", "Hildale and Colorado City worry over Texas raid", "Police Search for Missing Sect Teen; 533 Women, Children Are in Custody", "FBI confirms warrant served at FLDS ranch", "Love your lawyer suit - FLDS does not put children in danger - Polygamy.com", "Court: Texas Had No Right to Keep Polygamy Kids; Appeals Court Overrules Decision Placing Sect Kids in State Custody", "Court Rules Sect Children Should Go Home", "Polygamist sentenced to 10 years for sex assault of teen 'bride', "Polygamist sect member Allan Keate convicted of sex assault", "Utah Supreme Court reverses Warren Jeffs conviction", "Warren Jeffs gets life in prison for sex with underage girls", "FLDS member found guilty of child sexual assault", "Polygamist girls surprise investigators", "Swinton used phone that helped spark raid", "Is arrest tied to FLDS raid, phone calls? "[107][108] The FLDS Church had 30 days to appeal. The mothers declined to discuss the pending allegations of child abuse. [2][3], .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}305517N 1003205W / 30.9215N 100.5348W / 30.9215; -100.5348 (YFZ Ranch), Age dispute and Child Protective Services, Order dated February 5, 2010, Superior Court, Mohave County, AZ, Cause CR-07-0743, State v. Jeffs, here, DAMNED TO HEAVEN - Warren Jeffs -FLDS- POLYGAMY, Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith, "Texas Seizes Polygamist Warren Jeffs' Ranch", "Texas takes possession of polygamous ranch", "Have polygamists found their Eldorado? [85], The FLDS described the separation of mothers from their children as "inhumane". The Yearning for Zion Ranch, or the YFZ Ranch,[1] was a 1,700-acre Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints community of as many as 700 people, located near Eldorado in Schleicher County, Texas, United States. Already Border . Children younger than 4 were to be separated from their mothers over 18 after DNA samples were taken; older children had already been separated. Mental health workers who worked at the shelter testified similarly to state officials, also citing lack of privacy, only military cots for sleeping and poor-quality food, with no communications and threatened arrest if mothers waved to friends. However, despite the subsequent sex crime charges as well as legal proceedings, within a year of the probe, two-thirds of the families were back at YFZ, and its leaders had promised to abolish underaged marriages. He was going to run for governor. [61], The Associated Press reported that Texas Ranger Brooks Long called Colorado officials about two phone numbers, one of which "was possibly related to the reporting party for the YFZ Ranch incident". Lead attorney for children of YFZ Ranch recalls biggest child custody case in U.S. history, Seven documentaries and movies that tackled life in the FLDS church under Warren Jeffs, San Angelo Ranger recognized by Canadian authorities for aid in FLDS cases, FLDS leader Lyle Jeffs caught after year on lam, Children of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs speak of experiences 10 years after the YFZ Ranch raid, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. She claimed that her 50-year-old husband beat and raped her and that his other wives tried to poison her. He caused a lot of heartache for a lot of kids and other people. Built by the polygamist FLDS ( Fundamental Latter Day Saints ). Among the buried is the body of Barbara Jeffs, one of Warren Jeffs wives, which will be relocated to an area around the Utah/Arizona border. Meet the woman who testified against Jeffs. [102][103][104] In a 91-page affidavit filed with the 51st District Court of Texas, the Attorney General argues that Warren Jeffs authorized the purchase of the ranch property as " a rural location where the systemic sexual assault of children would be tolerated without interference from law enforcement authorities",[103] therefore, the property was contraband and subject to seizure. Leveled against Palmer, in her official capacity as DA, and Kent Richardson, acting on behalf of the Attorney General of Texas, the lawsuit is being heard in the 13th Court of Appeals. The remaining three bodies will be relocated elsewhere at the familys expense. Residents say it took a couple of months after the raid for things to settle down in their normally quiet town. It was like, could we be famous for a chili cook-off or something?. The report found that "12 girls were 'spiritually' married at ages ranging from 12 to 15, and seven of these girls have had one or more children. Among the buried is the body of Barbara Jeffs, one of Warren Jeffs wives, which will be relocated to an area around the Utah/Arizona border. Jeffs, who was known to visit the YFZ Ranch, is serving life plus 20 years in prison for raping two girls one age 12, the other 15 he had taken as polygamous brides. Jeffs must serve at least 45 years in prison before being eligible for release, at which time he will be 100 years old. According to a report from the San Antonio Express-News, the YFZ Ranch in Schleicher County has been sold after years in limbo. And for most residents of this one-stoplight farming town three hours west of San Antonio, the whole traumatic story that began 15 years ago is fading into history. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Some people left because they were afraid a group would come and take over," he said. The YFZ ranch was seized by Texas authorities in April 2014 but KOTA claimed a 140-acre compound in Custer County, Colorado, was still owned by FLDS in January 2021. The physical examinations were horrifying to the children. He said the county will not be reimbursed until a sale is made. "This has consumed my life since 2004. [2][3], The YFZ Ranch was situated 45 miles (72 kilometers) southwest of San Angelo and four miles (six kilometers) northeast of Eldorado. He used inmate labor to maintain the property and structures, once valued at $34 million on county tax rolls. The state of Texas wants to seize the Fundamentalist LDS Church's YFZ Ranch, which gained international attention in 2008 after the state raided it and temporarily removed hundreds of children over allegations of child sex abuse. [4], Speaking in Sunday church services on August 10, 2003, Warren Jeffs declared that the blessings of the priesthood had been removed from the community of Short Creek (Colorado City and Hildale). They wanted to know how many people lived on the property and what was being built to know if the county would be equipped to handle a three-story structure fire or respond properly in the aftermath of a tornado. Now empty, all that remains is a towering white stone temple and numerous buildings, a majority that were used for housing. It was how they left. But even then, the FLDS Church still struggles to make the numbers work. Some stayed still at the ranch, and life there became increasingly constrained by orders issued by . The 51-day Waco standoff ended with the compound being destroyed by fire, leaving nearly 80 people dead, including more than a dozen children. [21] Troopers and child welfare officials searched the ranch,[22] including the temple's safes, vaults, locked desk drawers, and beds. [14], On March 29, 2008,[15] a local domestic violence shelter hotline took a call from a female, identifying herself as "Sarah", and claiming to be a 16-year-old victim of physical and sexual abuse at the church's YFZ Ranch. According to the article dated March 1, the ranch is being. Donate to the newsroom now. [44] On December 18, 2009, Allan Keate was sentenced to 33 years in prison. For a decade, Doran was the county's liaison with the polygamists and he still maintains contact with one of them. The county is paying for the reburial.. [46], On June 22, 2010, Abram Harker Jeffs was found guilty of sexual assault of a child. These are the most devout followers of Warren Jeffs. More than 400 children were taken into temporary custody by the state. The YFZ Ranch is a 1,691-acre tract with space enough for a self-sustaining community and an orchard filled with trees of apples, peaches and pears. According to a Standard-Times report from April of 2018, Willie Jessop, former bodyguard and one-time staunch supporter of Jeffs, is in a dispute with the state of Texas.