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Sam Penrod reporting A major development tonight in the manhunt for polygamous leader Warren Jeffs.
Tim Fuhrman, FBI Special Agent in Charge: "We are here to announce that the FBI has placed Warren Steed Jeffs on its top ten most wanted fugitives list"
Warren Jeffs now joins the likes of Osama Bin Laden, as one of the top ten fugitives wanted by the federal government.
Jeffs has become a well known name in Utah and Arizona in recent months, as criminal charges have been filed against him.
The FBI say that by adding Warren Jeffs to its top ten list, that his name and face will get national, even international attention.
The odds are against him that he will be able to avoid arrest. In the 56 year history of the FBI Top Ten list, 94 percent of the fugitives have been captured.
Warren Jeffs is now on a wanted poster, listed as one of the ten most wanted fugitives sought by the FBI.
Jeffs joins the list, which includes the most dangerous suspected criminals, including terrorists and serial murderers.
Tim Fuhrman, FBI Special Agent in Charge: "481 fugitives have been placed on the top ten list, 452 of those fugitives have been apprehended or located."
Jeffs was even profiled tonight on the National TV show: "America's Most Wanted".
Jeffs has been on the run, after Arizona authorities charged him with arranging polygamous marriages, involving underage girls.
Last month, prosecutors in Washington County filed felony charges, accusing Jeffs as an accomplice in a rape.
Federal prosecutors have also charged Jeffs with fleeing from justice.
Tim Fuhrman, FBI Special Agent in Charge: "The amount of the reward leading to Jeff's arrest has been increased from 60,000 to 100,000 dollars."
The majority of Jeff's followers live on the Utah - Arizona border. They are loyal to him and that has made it difficult to follow leads on his whereabouts.
Still local law enforcement believes authorities are closer to arresting Jeffs.
Sheriff Kirk Smith, Washington County Sheriff's Office: "We feel like we're very close, we don't feel like its far off and we're hoping that this announcement and being on the top ten will take it to the point that we'll be able to take Mr. Jeffs into custody very quickly."
Jeffs is known to travel with armed bodyguards and the wanted poster says he is considered to be "armed and dangerous."
Tim Fuhrman, FBI Special Agent in Charge: "We hope we can get him into custody as soon as possible, we have to remember Mr. Jeffs has only been charged with crimes and he gets to have his day in court."
Once someone is added to the FBI's top ten most wanted list, they almost always stay on it, until they are caught.
Again, the reward for information that leads to the arrest of Warren Jeff's is now 100- thousand dollars.
