Jeffs' Followers React Angrily to Reporter

Sept. 1, 2006 — -- Warren Jeffs looked like anything but the purportedly ruthless leader of a breakaway polygamist sect on Thursday when he appeared in court in Las Vegas.

Jeffs, 50, had evaded law enforcement officials for more than a year and was on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List when a Nevada state trooper recognized him durig a routine traffic stop on Monday night and arrested him.

The polygamist is wanted in Utah and Arizona on charges of arranging two marriages between underage girls and men.

Jeffs appeared thin, frail and timid as he made his first court appearance Thursday and agreed to be extradited to Utah, where he faces multiple rape charges for allegedly arranging several marriages between men and underage girls.

Now that he is behind bars, the question is what will happen to his 10,000 fiercely loyal followers.

ABC News' John Quinones found out how loyal members of Jeffs' Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints were.

The streets of Colorado City, Ariz., where the extremist polygamist sect is based, were quiet Thursday.

Jeffs' followers had little to say when asked about their leader.

Quinones received the same reactions around town as people walked away, saying nothing.

Things suddenly turned ugly when a store manager angrily ordered the ABC News' crew out of the parking lot, even though it was public property.

"You are trespassing. Off this property now!" the man shouted, attempting to attack the camera.

Then the police were called, and they told ABC News to leave.

Jeffs at Peace

While outside intrusion is clearly not welcome in Jeffs' community, authorities outside Colorado City have a very different reaction to the polygamist leader's arrest.

Gary Engels, an investigator for the Mojave County district attorney's office, has been tracking Jeffs for 14 years.

"It feels pretty good," Engels said of Jeffs' capture.

Engels left Las Vegas with new mug shots, fingerprints, and a private meeting with Jeffs.

"He said he's at peace with what's happening," Engels said. "He just thinks it is the will of God."

If convicted on rape charges in Utah, Jeffs could spend the rest of his life in prison.

In the meantime, he'll be in Purgatory -- the name of the correctional facility where he'll be held.

"Primetime" co-anchor John Quinones reported this story for "Good Morning America."