A combination of a judge shortage plus an influx of hippies caused a serious over crowding situation to the Elko County Jail this week according to under Sheriff Clair Morris.
“We peaked with over 160 inmates last week,” Morris explained. “There was some kind of judges conference so some inmates couldn’t get hearings and then we had the usual problems with the Rainbow Family as they passed through Elko.”
With thousands of hippies, gypsies and homeless passing through Wendover, Wells and Elko on their way to the Rainbow Family gathering in Heber city this week local law enforcement are advising citizens and businesses to keep their cars and their doors locked and to report any strange behavior, aggressive begging or shoplifting to the police.
“Most of them are nonviolent and really are just passing through,” said West Wendover police Chief Burdel Welsh. “But anytime you have a gathering of that number of people you are sure to attract bad actors.”
Established in the early 1970’s the Rainbow Family is loose connection of hippies and other counter culture types that meet annually in a national forest somewhere in the United States in the beginning of July. According to the group’s unofficial Facebook page this year’s gathering will be held near Heber City in Utah’s Uintah National Forest. Anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 people were expected to attend.
“They have certainly added to the jails population,” Morris said. “It is not an ideal situation but on the other hand we are happy they picked Heber city and not anywhere in Elko County.”
The love fest has however already gotten off to an inauspicious start with an attempted murder at the Heber campsite and an arrest for assault with a deadly weapon in Wendover, both involving Rainbow Family members. Since then there have been other reports of assaults and strong arm robberies throughout the region.
In addition to violent crime some Rainbows are known to aggressively panhandle in groups reportedly surrounding a ‘mark’ and relieving them of all their cash. Others have been know to enter usually small convince stores en masse and either shoplift the overwhelmed clerk or intentionally damage items with the intent to collect them later from the trash after they have been thrown out.
According to Morris the Elko County Jail has 120 beds.
“We are basically a 100 bed facility with a little bit to spare,” he explained. “Right now we are down from over 160 inmates to about 140 and hopefully we can get back to normal soon. Then again they Rainbows will be passing back through when the Gathering is over next week.”
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