Warren Jeffs’ Hildale compound bought by former bodyguard

Willie Jessop, the former bodyguard of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, won the public bid held outside of the Fifth District Courthouse for a large compound in Hildale allegedly built to house the now imprisoned Jeffs, St. George,Utah, April 25, 2013 | Photo courtesy of Ed Kociela

ST. GEORGE – Two parcels of land formerly owned by imprisoned polygamous leader Warren Jeffs sold at auction for $3.6 million Thursday morning. The properties, consisting of a large walled-off compound and an elementary school, both in Hildale, were bought by Jeffs’ ex-bodyguard Willie Jessop.

SALE
Willie Jessop (far left), standing next to attorney Mark James, with Washington County Sheriff deputy Johnny Owens (foreground), at the Fifth District Courthouse for the property auction overseen by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George, Utah, April 25, 2013 | Photo by Ed Kociela, St. George News

The property was being sold off in order to pay out a nearly $30 million judgment Jessop won against leaders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Jessop said he was excommunicated from the FLDS church and his business, R&W Excavating, was near-destroyed by leaders of the church due to his dissent toward Jeffs after learning of the cases of child sexual abuse taking place at the church’s Yearning For Zion ranch in Texas.

Jessop was one of many former FLDS members who attended the auction held outside of the Fifth District Courthouse. Up for sale were two properties, the compound that sits on six acres of land and is valued at $2.5 million and the elementary school, valued at $1.1 million.

Former FLDS member Ross Chatwin described the compound as consisting of three triplexes and a storehouse. While he didn’t attend the auction to bid on either property, he wanted to see what would come of them, and has misgivings concerning their new owner.

“Willie I have big concerns about,” Chatwin said.

He said Jessop, while acting as Jeffs “right-hand man,” did a lot of the church leader’s dirty work and has an intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the polygamous communities of Hildale and Colorado City, Ariz. He said he is afraid Jessop may try to set himself up as “another Warren Jeffs.”

However, Jessop said his intent for the properties, bought through R&W Excavating, is to put them back in the hands of the people and not use them for personal gain. He said the compound will likely be used for housing and the school, which was shut down over a decade ago, will be reopened at some point in the future.

 “This is the first step of getting the community back,” Jessop said. He added he wants the people of Hildale and Colorado City to know “there is life after Jeffs.”

“I hope the right thing happens here,” Chatwin said.

Warren Jeffs, the prophet and leader of the FLDS faith, was convicted on two felony counts of child sexual assault in 2011 and is currently serving out a life sentence in Texas.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2013, all rights reserved.

Willie Jessop, the former bodyguard of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, won the public bid held outside of the Fifth District Courthouse for a large compound in Hildale allegedly built to house the now imprisoned Jeffs, St. George,Utah, April 25, 2013 | Photo courtesy of Ed Kociela
Willie Jessop, the former bodyguard of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, won the public bid held outside of the Fifth District Courthouse for a large compound in Hildale allegedly built to house the now imprisoned Jeffs, St. George,Utah, April 25, 2013 | Photo courtesy of Ed Kociela

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4 Comments

  • sarah April 29, 2013 at 9:40 pm

    I have concerns also. I want to believe the women and children will be safe now. Does willy have more than one wife? What is the average education level of the adults? Are the police still flds?

  • anonymous August 1, 2013 at 7:09 pm

    I have grave concerns regarding Willie. He was an enforcer–not simply a bodyguard to Jeffs. He perpetrated a number of assaults on dissident FLDS. While I’d like to believe a leopard can change its spots, it seems a little convenient that Willie got excommunicated, then filed suit, likely knowing that the FLDS would not appear in court, thus allowing him to prevail by default. That speaks of chicanery to me–but then, I am a dyed in the wool, born-again cynic.

    Time will tell if Willie is sincere, or if he has another agenda. We’ll see…meanwhile, tighten yer seatbelts!

    • real life August 1, 2013 at 11:40 pm

      “Time will tell if Willie is sincere”. How much time you got? Not much if you are an eleven year old girl living amongst these sexual deviants. We put animals down for way less.

  • real life August 1, 2013 at 11:35 pm

    What the … don’t people around here get about the words “sexual assault on a child”? Wow. Lived here for 4 years and still don’t get it. Anywhere else, these sick pedophiles would be fried.
    Ed. ellipsis.

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