McNelis.biz

When I was out on Lake Powell back in May I flew into McCarran Airport in Las Vegas. From there, my cousin and cousin-in-law picked me up and we drove to the dock where we picked up our houseboat for a weekend on the lake for my cousin’s bachelor party.

While we were out there, we were commenting on the scenic drive from Las Vegas to Lake Powell, and mentioned we had passed Colorado City. We were advised at that point we might want to take a side trip there just to see the people, as they are relatively widely known to practice polygamy in a small community, producing lots of inbreeding, and lots of odd looking faces.

Now fast forward to today, when I look at the Chicago Tribune(blood sucking free registration), and it is carrying an Associated Press article about 8 people being arrested on charges of polygamy in Colorado City, Arizona. I found that amusing, so I thought I would share. The entire text of the article is available if you click for more….
8 Men Indicted in Polygamous Community

By Associated Press
Published July 12, 2005, 5:42 AM CDT

COLORADO CITY, Ariz. — Eight members of a polygamous community were indicted on charges of sexual misconduct with a minor and conspiracy, prosecutors said.

One of the men was arrested Friday, while the others turned themselves in on Monday. One of the men is a former police officer, who was previously convicted of bigamy and illegal sex with a teenage girl he had taken as a third wife.

Colorado City and neighboring Hildale, Utah, are dominated by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a sect that broke away from the Mormon church and still practices polygamy.

The church has come under increasing pressure from authorities in Utah and Arizona.

Utah attorneys have succeeded in wresting control of a trust away from church leaders after raising concerns that leaders would sell off residents’ homes. Most of the property in the communities was controlled by the church trust.

Also, the church’s reclusive leader, Warren Jeffs, was charged in Arizona in early June with counts that include conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He remains a fugitive.