Winston Blackmore and another member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ( FLDS ) were arrested for violating a little-used law against polygamy , the Vancouver Sun reported on its website , citing court documents .
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winston blackmore member fundamentalist church jesus christ day saints flds arrest violate little-used law polygamy vancouver sun report website cite court document
Winston Blackmore and another member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ( FLDS ) were arrested for violating a little-used law against polygamy , the Vancouver Sun reported on its website , citing court <m> documents </m> .
Canadian authorities filed charges on Wednesday against the leader of a group that openly practices polygamy in British Columbia and has links to U.S. polygamist communities , local media reported .
Winston Blackmore and another member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ( FLDS ) were arrested for violating a little-used law against polygamy , the Vancouver Sun reported on its website , citing court <m> documents </m> .
Prosecutors and police refused to comment on the reports , but have scheduled a news conference in Vancouver to discuss legal action involving two people from the religious community in Bountiful , British Columbia .
Blackmore , 52 , was not available for comment .
The FLDS , an offshoot of the mainstream Mormon Church , also has communities in the United States , where its leader and self-proclaimed prophet , Warren Jeffs , has been convicted on charges of forcing underage women to marry older men .
British Columbia Attorney General Wally Oppal appointed a special prosecutor in June to investigate laying charges against the FLDS , which is believed to have about 700 members living in southeastern British Columbia .
Oppal had to use a special prosecutor because the province 's regular prosecution service had been openly reluctant to press polygamy charges on the grounds that the law might be ruled unconstitutional as a violation of religious rights .
Blackmore has challenged authorities in the past to file charges against him , and has denied any criminal wrongdoing within the community .