ELDORADO - The Texas Department of Public Safety and the state's Child Protective Services are among the agencies conducting an investigation today at the Schleicher County ranch of a fundamentalist Mormon sect.
Five DPS patrol cars and three unmarked vehicles blocked Rudd Road, which leads north from Eldorado to the YFZ Ranch. Members of the reclusive Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints moved there in 2004.
The DPS and Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran referred all questions to Tela Mange, an Austin-based DPS spokeswoman, who could not immediately be reached for comment this morning.
CPS spokeswoman Marleigh Meisner confirmed that her agency's officials are interviewing children inside the ranch to determine whether they are safe.
"This is not a CPS raid," Meisner said. "We are just assessing the safety of the children."
Those living on the ranch have been cooperative with CPS investigators, she said. It is believed about 70 people live on the property, about three miles northeast of Eldorado, which is 44 miles south of San Angelo.
Schleicher County Justice of the Peace James C. Doyle says local officials were notified Thursday that law-enforcement agencies were investigating at the compound but didn't know any particulars.
"It's been in the making for a while," Doyle said. "They were supposed to move in yesterday evening with enough personnel to be ready for whatever. I guess they did."
The FLDS was led by Warren Jeffs until 2007, when he was found guilty of two counts of being an accomplice to rape for 14-year-old girl to her 19-year-old cousin and sentenced to at least 10 years of prison.
Jeffs was on the FBI's Ten Most-Wanted List from May 2004 until August 2006. He formally resigned as president of the church on Nov. 20.
Check back with gosanangelo.com later for more details.
Five DPS patrol cars and three unmarked vehicles blocked Rudd Road, which leads north from Eldorado to the YFZ Ranch. Members of the reclusive Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints moved there in 2004.
The DPS and Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran referred all questions to Tela Mange, an Austin-based DPS spokeswoman, who could not immediately be reached for comment this morning.
CPS spokeswoman Marleigh Meisner confirmed that her agency's officials are interviewing children inside the ranch to determine whether they are safe.
"This is not a CPS raid," Meisner said. "We are just assessing the safety of the children."
Those living on the ranch have been cooperative with CPS investigators, she said. It is believed about 70 people live on the property, about three miles northeast of Eldorado, which is 44 miles south of San Angelo.
Schleicher County Justice of the Peace James C. Doyle says local officials were notified Thursday that law-enforcement agencies were investigating at the compound but didn't know any particulars.
"It's been in the making for a while," Doyle said. "They were supposed to move in yesterday evening with enough personnel to be ready for whatever. I guess they did."
The FLDS was led by Warren Jeffs until 2007, when he was found guilty of two counts of being an accomplice to rape for 14-year-old girl to her 19-year-old cousin and sentenced to at least 10 years of prison.
Jeffs was on the FBI's Ten Most-Wanted List from May 2004 until August 2006. He formally resigned as president of the church on Nov. 20.
Check back with gosanangelo.com later for more details.