Several people living in a campsite close to the community of Empire, Alabama, as part of a religious cult, who believe their leader is the incarnation of Jesus Christ, have been arrested.
About 15 people from across the country have been living at the site for five months with Lando, leader of “More than the Prophet Ministries,” who calls himself “the only begotten son of the living God,” WBRC reports.
Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith announced Tuesday that officials, assisted by the Blount County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, executed a search warrant on the site following a months-long investigation.
In a social media video, Smith said some individuals connected to the site were arrested, while others were released and told to collect their belongings and leave the property.
Lando, whose followers call him Reverend Lamp, told WBRC that three members were arrested for refusing to give their names to authorities.
Lando and his followers say they were handcuffed and lay face down during Tuesday’s search, while it’s unclear what role the DHS played. Lando claimed agents questioned members about their U.S. citizenship.
Officials said they also found one gun and narcotics in the search. Lando claimed the gun belongs to a person who no longer lives at the camp and that the drugs found were marijuana.
Lando said the group moved from Arkansas to the Alabama campsite, where they live on a property owned by a woman to whom he pays monthly rent.
After being told to leave in November, some members had already gone, while the rest were preparing to move by the end of December when the search warrant was executed.
“Look, we’re already [cleaning the campsite]...We would be gone,” Lando told WBRC.
Lando claimed that the group would comply with officials’ orders, but wished they had approached the situation differently.
“If you would have just woke me up, and said ‘Hey man, y’all are supposed to be gone,’ ‘Yeah, we’re leaving today!’” Lando said.
The Independent has contacted Smith, the Blount County Sheriff’s Office, and DHS for comment.
An Instagram and Threads account appearing to belong to Lando describes the group’s teachings as “Christ 100 percent life death and resurrection!”
In one of many Instagram video posts since the search warrant, Lando seemingly addressed his supporters, saying, “All my beautiful people in Walker County, y'all really showed out and I really didn’t expect that. Honestly.”
“I feel that God put us there for a reason: To show that there are good people everywhere. Honest, hardworking people,” he said.
