Polygamist sect leader surrenders
An elder of a polygamist sect and two other church members surrendered to authorities to face felony charges relating to the marriage of underage girls to older men.
Frederick “Merril” Jessop, 72, a leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who oversaw its Yearning for Zion Ranch in west Texas, faces one count of conducting an unlawful marriage ceremony involving a minor. One of his daughters was allegedly married at 12 to jailed sect leader Warren Jeffs and is now the only child from the ranch in foster care after her mother refused to cooperate with child welfare authorities.
Twelve FLDS men have been indicted since authorities raided the ranch in April. Hundreds of children were placed in state custody before they were ordered to be returned to their parents.
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