SOUTH DAKOTA – Federal agents are writing a very big check to two South Dakota men who helped them track down fugitive FLDS Church leader Lyle Jeffs.
Investigators were able to find Jeffs in Yankton, South Dakota, after workers at a pawn shop called the authorities. Assistant Special Agent in charge Daniel Brady says a clerk inside the store noticed Jeffs was showing odd behavior while trying to sell a Leatherman tool. Brady says, “It wasn’t just that he was selling a Leatherman. He was overdressed for that time of year. He was wearing sunglasses indoors. He was just off.”
Jeffs had reportedly tried to hide his identity by using his first name as his last. However, Brady says the clerk searched Jeffs’ name online, and quickly found that he was wanted. The owner of River City Treasures Pawn Shop then called the authorities. The FLDS Church leader was spotted and pulled over thanks to a partial license plate number the clerk wrote down.
Brady says their tip was crucial, since they had no reason to believe he was in Yankton, South Dakota. He adds, “In retrospect, it’s not all that surprising, because there is a FLDS community in South Dakota, but, my understanding is that it’s not that part of the state.”
The store owner tells KSL he received $15 thousand out of the $50 thousand reward.