On 5/28/12, the Mesa Police Department received a report that a first edition Book of Mormon had been stolen from a rare book dealer in Mesa. Experts have valued the book at between $30,000 to $40,000. The Mesa Police Department, in working with other local and national law enforcement, were able to develop probable cause for the arrest of Jay Linford. Linford is known to the victim and was present at her store during the time of the theft.

Linford was arrested outside an apartment in the Washington D.C. metro area. Search warrants were served and that's when a first edition copy of the Book of Mormon, believed to be the victim’s, was located. Linford is currently in-custody on a $40,000 cash only bond and will be facing extradiction back to Arizona.