Imprisoned evangelist Tony Alamo was moved recently from a federal prison in Marion, Ill., to the Bureau of Prisons Transfer Facility in Oklahoma City.
Federal prison officials won’t say why Alamo, whose given name is Bernie LaZar Hoffman, was moved or where.
A Bureau of Prisons spokesman said inmates are transferred for a variety of reasons, including discipline and security. When Alamo, 78, was first taken to a Bureau of Prisons facility after being sentenced in 2009 to 175 years in federal prison for taking children he wed across state lines for sex, he was assigned to a unit in Tuscon, Ariz.
In November 2010, Alamo was moved to a unit in Terre Haute, Ind. Most recently, Alamo was housed in the Illinois prison.
In an affidavit FBI Special Agent Timmy Akins filed in proceedings that the government has initiated to seize Alamo Ministry properties, Alamo is described as still maintaining control of the group and associated businesses.
In August 2010, while Alamo was incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary in Tucson, officials became aware that “three or four of Alamo’s wives relocated to the Tucson area so that they could have face-to-face visitation with Alamo and receive instruction from Alamo as to how to conduct the daily operations of the Tony Alamo Christian Ministry,” the affidavit said.
“Alamo reportedly began making threatening comments regarding federal judges and federal officers,” the affidavit said.
He was then transferred to the federal prison in Marion. Subsequently, officials “learned that some of Alamo’s wives have relocated to the vicinity of the [Marion prison] … to continue to relay Alamo’s direction and instruction on how to operate the daily business of the [ministry],” the affidavit said.
“Another informant, who advised he served as Alamo’s secretary in the [Marion] prison, stated that he assisted Alamo by reading and preparing emails, letters, and religious material. Alamo operates his churches and businesses from [the Marion prison]. Alamo operates a trucking company, restaurant, construction company, apartment complex, and a company known as Advantage Foods while still in prison. Nothing happens at these entities without Alamo’s approval,” Akins’ affidavit stated.
A hearing is scheduled to address some of the properties associated with Alamo. A federal judge has ruled they can be sold to partially satisfy a $30 million judgment Alamo owes to two men raised in the ministry for abuses they suffered as children.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 8 on 05/28/2013