Lyle Jeffs, the lead defendant in what prosecutors have called a conspiracy by the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to defraud what’s known as the food stamp program, is expected to change his plea to guilty today.
A 10:30 a.m. change of plea hearing for Jeffs appeared on the court docket less than three hours earlier. Jeffs has previously pleaded not guilty to a count of attempt to defraud the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a count of attempt to launder money and a count of failure to appear in court.
That last charge stems from when, in June of 2016, Jeffs slipped off his ankle monitor and absconded from pre-trial release.