A judge has dismissed all charges in Arizona against polygamist leader Warren Jeffs after a prosecutor said continuing would be "impractical".
Judge Steven Conn granted Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith's motion to dismiss the four charges of sexual misconduct with a minor with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled on the same set of facts.
Mr Smith said the two alleged victims in the cases no longer wanted to proceed with prosecution in Arizona.
In his motion filed yesterday, he said Jeffs had already served more time in Arizona than he would receive upon conviction, more serious charges are pending against him in Texas, and he had significant medical problems while jailed in Kingman, Arizona.
"It would be impractical and unnecessary to spend taxpayer money on this defendant under all the above mentioned circumstances," Mr Smith wrote.
Jeffs' lawyer, Mike Picarretta, said he appreciated Mr Smith "fulfilling his ethical duties and dismissing all remaining prosecutions" against Jeffs.
The court ordered the sheriff's office to transport Jeffs back to Utah, where his 2007 convictions on two counts of rape as an accomplice are on appeal to the Utah Supreme Court.
Jeffs was sentenced to two consecutive terms of five years to life in prison for the charges, which involved his role in the 2001 spiritual marriage of an underage follower to her then 19-year-old cousin.
Mr Smith noted that Texas had started extradition proceedings, but Judge Conn said Arizona had only temporary custody of Jeffs until the charges against him were resolved. Any such proceeding must be initiated with Utah, not Arizona, the judge said.
Jeffs, the former leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was moved to Kingman from the Utah State Prison in February 2008. The first of his Arizona trials had been due to begin on November 2, with the second trial to be considered at its conclusion.
Jeffs' troubles extended into Texas when he was indicted on charges of sexual assault of a child and bigamy, months after authorities raided the FLDS' Yearning for Zion ranch at Eldorado in April 2008.