Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006 | 8:39 a.m.
CARSON CITY A polygamist group has put down roots in Lincoln County, according to a Salt Lake City television station, which reported this week that farm equipment owned by the group had illegally been moved into the state.
Members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has communities along the Utah-Arizona border, allegedly are working a 3,000-acre alfalfa and potato farm 30 miles north of Pioche.
KSL-TV in Salt Lake City reported that equipment was moved to Lincoln County, violating a court order. The church is tied up in lawsuits by former members, and church leader Warren Jeffs is a fugitive, wanted on felony charges filed by Utah officials and the federal government.
The report said the farm is funding a church compound in Texas and estimated that the operation could be making a considerable amount of money.
Joseph Harker, who operates what's known as Atlanta Farms, denied the charges in a phone interview with the Sun on Thursday.
"This is all bogus," Harker said.
"By the grace of God, we are just making it," said Harker, who said he lives on the land with his wife and two children and occasionally hires seasonal workers.
The TV station reported that satellite photos showed a huge, new building and barracks or modular living quarters that appear to be capable of holding dozens of people.
Harker said the story is being spread by his uncle Sterling Harker, who he said is jealous of him. He didn't elaborate.
Sterling Harker, who was president of Harker Farms in Utah until being kicked out of the group by Jeffs, told KSL that the Nevada farm was Jeffs' doing.
Joseph Harker leases the farm land from developer-lawyer Harvey Whittemore, who said he bought a large parcel in Lincoln County about 18 months ago to gain the water rights to supply his planned Coyote Springs project in Clark County. Harker was already operating there.
Whittemore said there were no background checks of Harker. And in fact, he helped finance a potato storage shed for Harker on the property.
"If there are matters of concern, I will cooperate with law enforcement," he said, adding he has not had any trouble with the Harkers.
Joseph Harker said he hires seasonal help in the summer but his family operates the farm for the rest of the year.
Lincoln County District Attorney Philip Dunleavy and Sheriff Dahl Bradfield could not be reached for comment. Nicole Moon, a spokeswoman for the state attorney general's office said there is no investigation under way.
Lincoln County Commissioner Spencer Hafen said there have not been any complaints about the Harker family operation.
"They pretty well keep to themselves," he said, adding that several of the local farmers deal with Harker and there has not been any trouble.
Utah private investigator Sam Brower, who works for several groups involved in lawsuits against the polygamist group, said those operating Atlanta Farms are longtime members of the fundamentalist church and are "zealously loyal to Warren Jeffs."
Cy Ryan can be reached at (775) 687-5032 or at [email protected].
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