The state of Texas has seized The Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado, Texas, where officials say imprisoned polygamist leader Warren Jeffs sexually assaulted young girls.
Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is serving life in prison for the sexual assaults, according to KRIV.
KEYE reports when the Texas Department of Public Safety seized the ranch, they found eight adults living on the property.
According to CNN, the state filed for seizure in 2012 and on January 6 it obtained approval to take possession of the property. And the seizure comes six years after police raided the YFZ Ranch.
"In 2008, in response to phone calls to a family violence hot line alleging abuse and rape, police raided the ranch, and 416 children were initially removed. That figure rose to 468 after some of the mothers were found to be younger than 18." (Via CNN)
But KLST spoke with a former member of FLDS, who says in most cases, seizures like these leave members homeless unless they move to other FLDS communities. They say the members often don't have property of their own.
"Ultimately, the people that are going to pay the heaviest prices are these women and children and people that don't really have anywhere else to go. There's been a very large influx of them in the last few days coming back to the communities here." (Via KLST)
KXAS reports the eight adults living on the property agreed to leave. Officials will now take an inventory of the ranch.
