KINGSTON, Utah — The nephew of Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs has been charged with kidnapping following a revelation from the imprisoned polygamous leader.
The Piute County Attorney filed first-degree felony kidnapping charges on Monday against Heber Pearson Jeffs. He is accused of disappearing with a 10-year-old girl from a home in Kingston. According to the charging documents, Jeffs was caring for his sister's daughter while she and her husband were splitting and leaving the FLDS Church.
The girl's mother was able to visit her regularly, prosecutors wrote, until Warren Jeffs gave a revelation earlier this year. FOX 13 News first reported in August that Jeffs was re-asserting control over the FLDS Church from his prison cell in Texas, where he is serving a life sentence for child sexual assault related to underage "marriages."
"Through Warren Jeffs’ revelation he commanded or ordered that the FLDS female members should quit their current employment or activities and ‘gather’ (essentially ‘shelter in place’) and prepare to move to a location or locations (unknown to your Affiant) as directed by Warren Jeffs and/or Helaman Jeffs," an affidavit filed with the charges stated.
When the girl's mother went to take visit her child, the affidavit said Jeffs told her "he was cutting her off, and that she would ‘not be allowed access to her child unless she was going to get back in the Church (FLDS) by writing to Helaman Jeffs or Warren Jeffs.’”
Helaman Jeffs is a son of Warren Jeffs who has asserted himself as a leader within the FLDS Church. The mother of the girl hired lawyers who asserted her custodial rights. The kidnapping charges were filed and a warrant said that Heber Jeffs remains at large with the girl.
Piute County Attorney Scott Burns and Sheriff Marty Gleave did not respond to messages from FOX 13 News seeking comment on the charges.
