Several people living at a campground near the Alabama community of Empire as part of a religious cult that believed their leader was an incarnation of Jesus Christ have been arrested.
According to WBRC, about 15 people from across the country have been living at the site for five months with Lando, the leader of Transcendental Prophetic Ministries and a self-proclaimed “only begotten son of the living God.”
Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith announced Tuesday that officials, with assistance from the Blount County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, executed a search warrant at the location following a months-long investigation.
Smith said in a social media video that some people associated with the site were arrested, while others were released and told to pack their bags and leave the premises.
Lando’s followers, who call him Pastor Lando, told WBRC that three members were arrested after they refused to give their names to authorities.
Lando, known as Reverend Lamp to followers of Beyond the Prophet Ministries, said three members were arrested at an Alabama campground after refusing to identify themselves to authorities (WBRC)
Lando and his followers said they were handcuffed and lying face down during Tuesday’s raid, but it was unclear what role Homeland Security played. Lando claimed agents asked members about their U.S. citizenship.
Officials said they also found a gun and drugs during the search. Lando claimed the gun belonged to a man who no longer lived at the camp and that the drug found was marijuana.
Lando said the group moved from Arkansas to the campground in Alabama, where they lived on property owned by a woman to whom he paid monthly rent.
Some members have already left after being told to leave in November, while the remainder are preparing to relocate when search warrants are executed in late December.
“Look, we’ve [cleaning the campsite]… We would just disappear,” Lando told WBRC.
Lando said the gun found at the camp belonged to a former resident and the drug found was marijuana (WBRC)
Lando claimed the group would comply with officers’ orders but wished they had handled the situation differently.
“If you could wake me up and say, ‘Hey man, it’s time for you all to go,’ ‘Yeah, we’re leaving today!'” Lando said.
independent Smith, the Blount County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security have been contacted for comment.
An Instagram and Threads account that appears to belong to Lando describes the group’s teachings as “the 100% life death and resurrection of Christ!”
In one of his many Instagram video posts after the search warrant was issued, Lando appeared to say to his supporters: “To all the beautiful people of Walker County, you really showed up and I really didn’t expect this. Honestly.”
“I feel like God put us there for a reason: to show that there are good people everywhere. Honest, hard-working people,” he said.
