PROVO — Polygamist Tom Green says he usually likes to get help for his cause when it is offered.
But some folks are too strange for him.
Green said two unfamiliar men arrived Wednesday at the family's home in Juab County's remote west desert.
They were looking for Green, who lives with his five wives and 28 children in a compound of trailer homes that has been dubbed "Greenhaven."
"They called themselves Ambassador Loren and Ambassador Leslie. They didn't have first names," Green said. "They supposedly belonged to an organization where everyone was married to everyone else."
One of Green's wives, Linda Kunz Green, said she had an uneasy feeling about the visitors. She soon found out why.
"They said they had come to take over Greenhaven," Green said. He said the men apparently intended to move in and take over the clan after Green was sentenced for his conviction of four counts of bigamy and one count of criminal nonsupport.
"That's when I asked them to kindly leave."
Although no weapons were seen, the family felt threatened. During a hearing Thursday on a child-rape charge — stemming from Green's marriage to Linda Kunz, who was 13 at the time of their marriage — Green said the two men showed up in the courtroom in Nephi.
After alerting court officials, security was beefed up.
Juab County Attorney David Leavitt confirmed Friday the two men had been arrested Thursday in a joint investigation involving the Utah Highway Patrol and Juab County sheriff's deputies.
The two men have been been identified by Juab County authorities as Leslie Hardy and Loren Hardy. They are from Hawaii.
"They stated they were ambassadors from the Kingdom of God and were here to represent the laws of God," Leavitt said.
Thursday evening a search dog was called to check out their truck, which was parked near the court building in Nephi. Leavitt said no dangerous materials were found.
"We believed it was a very serious and deadly situation," Leavitt said.
The two men were booked into the Juab County Jail about 7 p.m. Thursday for minor violations, including driving without a license, possession of false identification and providing false information to an officer.
Leavitt said the men were obviously drawn to the area because of publicity of Tom Green's case, but his office is still investigating what the men wanted with Green's family.
"I think they just wanted to help somehow," Green said.
E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com