The Utah Attorney General's Office is not enforcing state laws by ignoring the crimes of polygamists, members of an anti-polygamy group said Wednesday.
Vicky Prunty, executive director of Tapestry Against Polygamy, said Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is focusing too much time on high-profile polygamists like Warren Jeffs while "many others as abusive are off his radar screen."
"It's pathetic," Prunty said of the attorney general office's effort to prosecute polygamists. "We want something done. We are tired of waiting. We're tired of individuals falling through the cracks."
A spokesman for the attorney general's office denied the accusations Wednesday.
In a recent op-ed piece in the St. George Spectrum, Shurtleff wrote, "No one is above the law and we will vigorously prosecute crimes that victimize anyone under the guise of religion."
The attorney general's office will investigate any case brought before them, spokesman Paul Murphy said.
"If men, women and children come forward and have evidence of crimes being committed in polygamous communities, we will investigate and prosecute," Murphy said.
Prosecuting polygamists is a difficult task that requires a lot of time, money and evidence, Murphy said.
But Rachel Strong says she's got a case against a Utah polygamous group leader complete with witnesses and documents all ready for the attorney general's office.
Strong first approached Tapestry Against Polygamy for help a few weeks ago after leaving a polygamous marriage to Jim Harmston, the leader of the True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days, headquartered in Manti.
Strong first met Harmston as a 11-year-old girl. Her mother soon married Harmston and became his third wife.
The 21-year-old said she was forced to become Harmston's 18th wife. Strong says she was demoralized and forced to engage in sex with which she didn't agree.
"I grew up with Harmston as my spiritual leader and step-father, not knowing that he had his eye on me as a future plural wife," Strong said.
Strong went to the Sanpete County Attorney's Office for help, but they declined to act on the accusations. She then turned to Tapestry Against Polygamy, who helped her build her case.
Investigators at the Utah Attorney General's Office are reviewing Strong's case, which includes allegations of rape, bigamy and unlawful marriage.
"What we are finding are victims are few and far between, and we are encouraged by those who do come forward; we're encouraged by just the number of people who are coming forward just to get help," Murphy said.
Strong said that leaving the group was the best thing she ever did.
And with the help of Tapestry Against Polygamy and possibly state authorities, she said she hopes "justice prevails."
"I obviously am willing to come forward," Strong said. "If (Shurtleff) would just do something, I'm absolutely willing to testify to bring these people down."
Harmston, a former member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was excommunicated for advocating polygamy. Today, he and about 200 to 300 members own several buildings in Manti, including an assembly hall.
E-mail: ldethman@desnews.com