SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 1, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Seth Jeffs, a bishop over the South Dakota polygamous branch, is getting his chance at freedom after a federal judge in Salt Lake City signed an order for his release.
A detention hearing was scheduled on April 4 in U.S. District Court but on Friday, Judge Ted Stewart issued an order allowing the FLDS leader to be released pending trial. The order stipulated, however, that he is not to be in contact with his brother Warren Jeffs, or FLDS bishop Ben Johnson. He has also been ordered to live in St. George but is allowed to visit South Dakota.
Prosecutors wanted Seth Jeffs to remain incarcerated until his upcoming trial saying he should be considered a flight risk after Warren Jeffs ran from federal officials, escaping arrest for three months before finally being captured in Nevada.
Seth Jeffs is among 11 other leaders and members of the FLDS Church arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Federal officials allege church leaders diverted proceeds from SNAP ─ the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as Food Stamps ─ away from authorized beneficiaries.
The FLDS officials are charged with using those SNAP funds for unapproved purposes and ineligible beneficiaries.
The potential penalty for each conspiracy count is five years in prison. The money laundering count carries a potential penalty of 20 years in prison.
