South Dakota sect leader Seth Jeffs to be jailed until trial
Source: Associated Press
South Dakota sect leader Seth Jeffs to be jailed until trial
James Nord, Associated Press
Updated 3:41 pm, Monday, February 29, 2016
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A U.S. magistrate judge ordered the alleged South Dakota leader of Warren Jeffs' polygamous sect to remain behind bars because there is a serious risk he would flee before a trial over what prosecutors say was a multi-million-dollar food stamp fraud scheme and money laundering.
Seth Jeffs was one of 11 sect members indicted last week on allegations that leaders diverted at least $12 million worth of federal benefits by telling hundreds of members to buy things and give them to a church warehouse or by using the food stamps in sect-owned stores without actually getting anything in return.
Jeffs, 42, had a detention hearing Monday, and U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann ordered him held in custody because she determined he is a serious flight risk. U.S. Attorney's Office spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch in Utah said Jeffs, who is being transported to Utah, could appeal the decision to the trial judge.
. . .
Prosecutors asked Wollmann to keep Jeffs in custody, arguing he would be likely to use a network of hiding places and use aliases, disguises and pre-paid cellphones to evade capture.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/South-Dakota-sect-leader-Seth-Jeffs-to-be-jailed-6860778.php
= new reply since forum marked as read
