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John Hollenhorst ReportingPolygamist leader Warren Jeffs became one of America's best known fugitives Sunday as national news organizations reported on his sudden elevation to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list.
Saturday night's broadcast of "America's Most Wanted" also stirred up some phone tips. That show focused on Jeffs's dictatorial rule over his followers, and his performing of marriages for underage girls.
In spite of his new national profile, Jeffs continues to elude capture on rape charges stemming from an underage marriage. In some ways, there are interesting parallels to another name on the Ten Most Wanted List-- Osama bin Laden.
"America's Most Wanted" used actors, real photos and sometimes the real voice of Warren Jeffs.
Religious zealotry was the theme. Jeffs was portrayed running a Nazi-like regime in his FLDS church and ordering young girls to marry and have sex with older men.
Scenes from America's Most Wanted: (girl) "Please, I..." (man) "Hush up, child. You don't want to keep the prophet waiting. God knows what he's doing."
Host John Walsh sounded a bit like George Bush, describing Osama bin Laden.
John Walsh, America's Most Wanted: "Cops say he's got a nearly endless supply of money and a bottomless supply of evil."
Investigators say Jeffs and bin Laden are totally different from the usual run of bank robbers and murderers on the Most Wanted list. They're protected and hidden by fiercely loyal followers and have millions of dollars at their disposal.
Investigator Gary Engels dug up much of the evidence against Jeffs.
Gary Engels, Investigator, Mohave County, Arizona: "Well, I'm sure he's living fairly well. And I'm sure he has only his most trusted people around him. I'm sure that there's probably not more than three or four people at one time that knows where he is."
Jeffs now has a 100,000 dollar reward on his head. But bin Laden loyalists could get 25 million, and they still haven't turned him in.
As the TV show ended Saturday night, Engels manned the phones with 20 other trained call-takers.
Gary Engels: "Well, we got a lot of calls from people that thought they might have seen him in different places. You know, there is probably a couple of phone calls that we need to do a little more follow up on." Reporter: "But nothing that would lead you to believe there's an imminent breakthrough?" Engels: "No. Nothing."
In spite of that, it's worth noting again that the TV show, and the FBI, have a strong record of getting their man once they're labeled "Most Wanted". We'll keep you posted.
