Two towns on the Arizona-Utah border, once controlled by the polygamist Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), have undergone significant change after being released from court supervision nearly two years early. The towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, were placed under federal oversight in 2017 after being found guilty of religious discrimination against non-believers.
The FLDS settled in the remote area in the 1930s after breaking away from the mainstream Mormon church, which renounced polygamy in 1890. For decades, the sect controlled the municipal governments and shared police force, denying basic services such as water hookups and police protection to those outside the faith.
The turning point came with the 2011 conviction of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs for sexually assaulting two girls, aged 12 and 15, in Texas. Jeffs, who became prophet after his father's death, was sentenced to life in prison. His arrest in 2006 followed a Las Vegas traffic stop where authorities found wigs, phones, cash, and gift cards.
Following Jeffs' imprisonment, many sect members left or moved away. In 2017, a court placed the towns under supervision to remedy constitutional violations. Last summer, the court lifted oversight early, citing significant progress. The towns now operate independently, marking a new chapter after decades of sect control.
