Local officials watch events unfold, standby
 
By PATRICE ST. GERMAIN
patrices@thespectrum.com
 
HURRICANE - Officials in Arizona and Utah are watching the news unfold at a Texas ranch occupied by members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where more than 400 children have been taken into protective custody by the state.

The chain of events was triggered when, according to police reports, a 16-year-old girl made a telephone call to authorities and alleged sexual misconduct. The girl said she was married to 50-year-old Dale Barlow and had a child with him eight months ago when she was 15.

Local officials have had experience dealing with issues and members of the FLDS Church, which has approximately 7,000 members who primarily live in the border towns of Hildale and Colorado City. FLDS Church leader Warren Steed Jeffs is now serving a prison term in Utah after being found guilty of two counts of rape as an accomplice last year.

With the exception of Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith, Texas authorities have not contacted anybody here for assistance.

Smith said he was contacted by Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran last week and is ready to lend a hand if Texas officials need help.

"I spoke with Sheriff Doran last week," Smith said. "I hold him in the highest regard and if he asks for help or assistance, we will do whatever he needs us to do."

It has been reported that there is a warrant out for the arrest of Barlow, Colorado City, but Barlow's probation officer, Bill Loader, with Mohave County, said that is not true.

"He (Barlow) is under investigation but has not been charged with anything at this juncture," Loader said.

Barlow was indicted by a Mohave County grand jury in 2005 and charged with conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 45 days in the Mohave County Jail, three years supervised probation and required to register as a sex offender for the duration of his probation.

Loader said the case against Barlow was because of a third marriage to a girl under the age of 18 when Jeffs, the prophet of the FLDS Church, was still running the show. Loader said the girl still lives with Barlow and is now 25.

Loader said he has kept a tight rein on Barlow - especially since the events in Texas at the YFZ Ranch.

"He reports daily by phone and is very compliant," Loader said. "He (Barlow) is quite concerned about the allegations against him."

Part of Barlow's terms of probation includes registering as a sex offender.

Although Barlow could not be found on any site, including the state of Arizona's Web site for sex offenders, Loader said he is sure that Barlow is registered, as are the other Colorado City men who were charged with similar crimes by grand jury indictments.

Jackie Pashano, sex offender registration specialist with the Mohave County Sheriff's Office, did not return phone calls before press time to confirm that Barlow is registered as a sex offender.

Trish Carter, spokeswoman for the Mohave County Sheriff's Office, said the situation is mainly the Texas authorities' investigation but said her office would assist if needed.

Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap, who successfully prosecuted Jeffs following a jury trial last year, said no one from Texas had contacted Utah authorities prior to or since the removal of women and children from the YFZ ranch.

Belnap said it was important to allow the process to run its course.

"I am confident that law enforcement and the judicial officers overseeing the actions are acting appropriately and that the best interest of the children will be served and protected," Belnap said.

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said Texas authorities were handling the situation and handling it well.

"I absolutely feel this was the right thing to do," Shurtleff said. "They (the authorities) finally got a complaint specifically from a victim of abuse."

Shurtleff said like Utah, Texas officials would need a willing victim to take the actions that have occurred over the last few days where more than 400 children and many women have been removed from the compound.

Without a complaint, officials have no right to go in and conduct searches as it did in Texas and Shurtleff said with the progress that has been made locally with members of the FLDS Church, he doesn't foresee a large-scale raid taking place any time soon in Hildale.

"Several years ago, this would not have been possible but now, we have Mayor Zitting (Hildale mayor) as a regular member of our safety net meeting and that is progress," Shurtleff said. "But I think there was no other choice in Texas."
 
TheSpectrum.com
Originally published April 8, 2008
 
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