The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints honcho was caught Wednesday in South Dakota, according to the FBI's Salt Lake City office.
Polygamous sect leader Lyle Jeffs has been taken into custody after eluding authorities for nearly a year, according to the FBI.
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints honcho was caught Wednesday night in South Dakota, according to a tweet from the FBI’s Salt Lake City office.
Read: Polygamist Leader Lyle Jeffs May Have Wriggled Out of Ankle Monitor With Olive Oil, FBI Says
His arrest came nearly a year after he gave feds the slip, literally, while awaiting trial for his alleged role in a food stamp fraud scheme. He pleaded not guilty to fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges.
#ARRESTED: FLDS leader Lyle Jeffs in custody after nearly a year on the lam. He was arrested in South Dakota around 8:30 last night. pic.twitter.com/6oDNbiXXaC
— FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) June 15, 2017
It is believed that he lubricated his ankle monitor with olive oil to slide the device off his leg. He then drove away from the Salt Lake City house where he was confined while awaiting trial.
A warrant was issued for the 57-year-old's arrest on June 19.
Jeffs' escape came about a month after a judge released him from jail as he awaited trial in the alleged multi-million dollar food stamp scheme. He was ordered to wear a GPS ankle monitor and not leave his home except for work, the doctor and court.
Prosecutors objected to Jeffs' release, calling him a flight risk.
Lyle Jeffs reportedly runs the day-to-day operations in the polygamous community of Hildale, Utah.
Read: See Inside the Run-Down Utah Town That's Home to Warren Jeffs' Polygamist Church
Jeffs and 10 other defendants were accused of helping to divert food stamp benefit proceeds from authorized beneficiaries to leaders of the FLDS Church for use by ineligible beneficiaries and for unapproved purposes.
After he vanished, the trial went on without him. Nine of the 10 defendants took plea deals, while charges were dropped against the remaining suspect.
Jeffs' brother Warren Jeffs, the former leader of the FLDS church, is currently serving a life sentence in Texas after he was convicted of sexually assaulting girls he called his brides.
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