Towns Once Run by Warren Jeffs' Polygamous Sect Emerge Transformed

Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah have undergone major changes after court supervision ended.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 9:47am

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The towns of Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah, which were once controlled by the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) and its leader Warren Jeffs, have undergone a dramatic transformation. After the courts wrested control of the towns from the FLDS, the communities have shed many of the hallmarks of the sect, such as prairie dresses, walled compounds, and distrust of outsiders. The towns now look much like any other in the region, with weekend soccer games, bars, and even a winery.

Why it matters

The towns' transition marks a significant shift away from the theocratic control of the FLDS and the abuses perpetrated under Warren Jeffs' leadership. The changes reflect the towns' efforts to establish more representative and responsive local governments, as well as a growing diversity in the community as new residents move in and former FLDS members leave or distance themselves from the sect.

The details

For decades, Colorado City and Hildale functioned largely as a theocracy under the FLDS, with the sect controlling most of the land and dictating where followers could live. After Jeffs took over the sect in 2002, he imposed even stricter rules, banning youth sports, cocktail hours, and pulling children from public schools. In 2017, the courts placed the towns under supervision, removing the church's control over local government. This has allowed the towns to transition to more representative governance focused on residents' needs. Many FLDS members have left the sect or the towns, and other places of worship have opened, reducing the FLDS presence to a small percentage of the population.

  • In 2002, Warren Jeffs took over leadership of the FLDS after his father's death.
  • In 2005, Jeffs was charged with arranging the marriage of a teenage girl to a 28-year-old follower.
  • In 2006, Jeffs was arrested and placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
  • In 2011, Jeffs was convicted in Texas of sexually assaulting two girls ages 12 and 15 and sentenced to life in prison.
  • In 2017, the courts placed Colorado City and Hildale under supervision, removing the FLDS's control over local government.

The players

Warren Jeffs

The former leader and prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), who was convicted of sexually assaulting two underage girls and is currently serving a life sentence in prison.

Willie Jessop

A former spokesman for the FLDS who later broke with the sect, describing the towns' transformation as "life after Jeffs" and a "great life."

Shem Fischer

A former resident of the towns who left in 2000 after the FLDS split up his father's family, and later returned to open a lodge in Hildale.

Donia Jessop

The mayor of Hildale, who was once distantly related to Willie Jessop through marriage and has reconnected with family members divided by the FLDS church.

Isaac Wyler

A longtime resident of the towns who was expelled from the FLDS in 2004 and experienced ostracization, but now says things are very different and his religious affiliation no longer factors into his encounters with police.

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What they’re saying

“What you see is the outcome of a massive amount of internal turmoil and change within people to reset themselves. We call it 'life after Jeffs' — and, frankly, it's a great life.”

— Willie Jessop, Former FLDS spokesman

“It started to go into a very sinister, dark, cult direction.”

— Shem Fischer, Former resident

“We started to realize that the love was still there -- that my sister that I hadn't been able to speak to for in so many years was still my sister, and she missed me as bad as I missed her. And it just started to open doors that weren't open before.”

— Donia Jessop, Mayor of Hildale

What’s next

Residents say the new openness has brought common societal woes such as drug use to Hildale and Colorado City, and some people are still practicing polygamy. A Colorado City sect member with more than 20 spiritual 'wives', including 10 underage girls, was sentenced in late 2024 to 50 years in prison for coercing girls into sexual acts and other crimes.

The takeaway

The transformation of Colorado City and Hildale marks a significant shift away from the theocratic control and abuses of the FLDS under Warren Jeffs. While the towns still face some challenges, the transition to more representative local governance and a growing diversity in the community represent an important step in the recovery from the sect's influence.