The move, a precursor to a possible federal polygamy task force, comes after a request by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who says local officials need assistance from the federal government in prosecuting crimes in polygamous sects.

Reid, in a letter Wednesday to Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, said that U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey has appointed a senior, career prosecutor to work with the Western states' officials on how federal authorities might help "tackle this complex problem" of crimes in polygamous sects.

"Working together, I believe federal and state authorities can do even more to address the epidemic of lawlessness in polygamous communities throughout the southwestern United States," Reid wrote.

U.S. Attorney for Utah Brett Tolman had questioned the rush to set up a task force on the issue because he says he, the FBI and local officials have worked on various cases for years and that a task force wouldn't necessarily result in criminal charges.

A spokeswoman for his office said Tolman is coordinating with the Justice Department officials.

"The U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah has been engaged on these issues for many years - working with local, state and federal partners to investigate and prosecute violations of federal law within these communities," spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch said. "We will continue to aggressively do so."

Reid had angered Shurtleff and Goddard earlier when he blasted local officials in Utah and Arizona for turning a “blind eye” on polygamy-related crimes. But the trio have now made up and are focusing their efforts on trying to get a federal-level task force to investigate issues such as IRS and welfare fraud.

tburr@sltrib.com