Friday, August 12, 2011
Mounties probe Bountiful child bride trafficking
The RCMP is investigating allegations that at least 30 girls, aged 12 to 17, were sent from the Mormon community in Bountiful, B.C., to the United States for marriage.
The investigating has been going on since February, the RCMP said in a statement Thursday night.
The allegations relate to events that may have occurred at least a decade ago, but also as late as 2005 or early 2006, the RCMP said.
The Mounties are also investigating allegations that girls under the age of 18 were sent from the U.S. to Canada.
"RCMP investigators are not aware of any more recent or any ongoing incidents where young girls are currently being victimized," RCMP Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said.
"The investigation is advancing and the RCMP anticipates sending investigators . . . to Texas in the future," Moskaluk said.
Warren Jeffs, head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was recently sentenced to life plus 20 years in a Texas court after being convicted of sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault towards two girls that he "married" when they were 12 and 14 years old.
There are members of the FLDS church in Bountiful and there have long been allegations that some children from the B.C. community were sent to Jeffs in Texas as "celestial brides."
The investigating has been going on since February, the RCMP said in a statement Thursday night.
The allegations relate to events that may have occurred at least a decade ago, but also as late as 2005 or early 2006, the RCMP said.
The Mounties are also investigating allegations that girls under the age of 18 were sent from the U.S. to Canada.
"RCMP investigators are not aware of any more recent or any ongoing incidents where young girls are currently being victimized," RCMP Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said.
"The investigation is advancing and the RCMP anticipates sending investigators . . . to Texas in the future," Moskaluk said.
Warren Jeffs, head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was recently sentenced to life plus 20 years in a Texas court after being convicted of sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault towards two girls that he "married" when they were 12 and 14 years old.
There are members of the FLDS church in Bountiful and there have long been allegations that some children from the B.C. community were sent to Jeffs in Texas as "celestial brides."
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