Warren Jeffs is the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), a polygamous cult that broke away from the mainstream Mormon Church over a century ago. He is also a convicted sex offender, serving a life sentence plus twenty years for sexually assaulting two underage girls who he claimed were his “spiritual wives”
But who is Warren Jeffs, and how did he rise to power in the FLDS? What are the beliefs and practices of this secretive sect, and why do they condone child marriage and sexual abuse? How did the authorities catch him and bring him to justice, and what is his current status in prison?
The Rise of Warren Jeffs
Warren Jeffs was born on December 3, 1955, in Sacramento, California, to Rulon Jeffs and Merilyn Steed. He was one of more than 60 children that Rulon had with his 19 or 20 wives. Rulon was the president of the FLDS, a religious group that practiced polygamy, or having multiple spouses, as a sacred principle
Warren grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, and became the principal of Alta Academy, an FLDS private school, in 1976. He was known as a strict and authoritarian teacher, who enforced a rigid dress code and curriculum. He also married several young women, some as young as 15, and fathered dozens of children
When Rulon died in 2002, he assumed the leadership of the FLDS, claiming that his father had appointed him as his successor. He also married some of his father’s widows, including Naomi Jessop, who was his favorite and most influential wife
As the prophet of the FLDS, he had absolute authority over the lives of his followers, who numbered around 10,000. He controlled their finances, marriages, education, and communication. He also claimed to receive revelations from God, which he used to justify his actions and decisions
One of his most controversial moves was to relocate the FLDS headquarters from Utah to a remote ranch in Eldorado, Texas, called the Yearning for Zion (YFZ) Ranch. He also built a massive temple on the property, where he performed secret ceremonies and rituals.
Warren Jeffs Info
| Full name | Warren Steed Jeffs |
| Date of birth | December 3, 1955 |
| Place of birth | Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints |
| Parents | Rulon Jeffs and Merilyn Steed |
| Spouse | 78, including Naomi Jeffs (née Jessop) |
| Children | More than 60, precise number unknown |
| Convictions | Texas: Aggravated sexual assault of a child, Sexual assault of a child Utah: Child rape as an accomplice (2 counts; overturned) |
| Penalty | Texas: Life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 27 years Utah: Life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 10 years (overturned) |
| Status | Incarcerated |
| FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive | Added May 6, 2006 Number 482 Captured August 28, 2006 |
The Beliefs and Practices of the FLDS
The FLDS is a fundamentalist offshoot of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), or the Mormon Church, which was founded by Joseph Smith in the 19th century. The FLDS believes that Smith was a prophet who restored the true gospel of Jesus Christ, and that he received a revelation from God to practice plural marriage
The FLDS also believes that Warren Jeffs is the successor of Smith, and that he is the only person who can communicate with God and receive his will. They follow his teachings and commands without question, and regard him as their spiritual father
The FLDS practices polygamy as a way of fulfilling God’s commandment to multiply and replenish the earth, and to prepare for the second coming of Christ. They also believe that polygamy is essential for attaining the highest degree of glory in the afterlife.
The FLDS has a patriarchal structure, where men are the heads of their households and have the right to marry multiple women, who are expected to be obedient and submissive. The women are also required to wear modest clothing, such as long dresses and prairie-style bonnets, and to avoid contact with the outside world.
The FLDS also practices child marriage, where girls as young as 12 are assigned to older men as their wives, often without their consent or knowledge. The girls are then expected to bear children as soon as possible and to raise them in the FLDS faith. The boys, on the other hand, are often expelled from the community when they reach their teens, to reduce the competition for wives and resources.
The FLDS also shuns modern technology, such as television, internet, and cell phones, and isolates itself from mainstream society. They view the outside world as wicked and corrupt and believe that they are the only true followers of God.
The Fall of Warren Jeffs
Warren Jeffs’ reign of terror came to an end in 2006, when he was placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List for his involvement in arranging illegal marriages between his adult male followers and underage girls in Utah. He was also charged with eight additional counts of sexual misconduct with minors in Arizona.
He was captured in August 2006, after a routine traffic stop in Nevada. He was found in possession of several cell phones, laptops, wigs, and cash. He also had with him one of his wives, Naomi, and one of his nephews, who he had allegedly molested.
He was extradited to Utah, where he faced trial for two counts of rape as an accomplice, for forcing a 14-year-old girl to marry her 19-year-old cousin in 2001. He was convicted in September 2007, and sentenced to 10 years to life in prison. However, his conviction was overturned by the Utah Supreme Court in 2010, due to flawed jury instructions.
He was then extradited to Texas, where he faced trial for two counts of sexual assault of a child, for raping a 15-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl, who he claimed were his wives, at the YFZ Ranch in 2004 and 2005. He acted as his own attorney, and delivered a rambling and incoherent defense, in which he claimed that he was a victim of religious persecution, and that God would punish anyone who opposed him. He also played an audio recording of one of his alleged assaults, which he said was a sacred ceremony.
He was convicted in August 2011, and sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years, and fined $10,000. He is currently incarcerated at the Louis C. Powledge Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, where he is kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day. He is also considered a high-risk inmate, and is subject to strict security measures.
The Impact of Warren Jeffs’ Crimes (Pedophile)
Warren Jeffs’ crimes have had a devastating impact on his victims, his followers, and his community. His victims have suffered physical, emotional, and psychological trauma, and have struggled to cope with the aftermath of their abuse. Some of them have spoken out against him, and have sought justice and healing. Others have remained silent, or have defended him, out of fear, loyalty, or indoctrination.
His followers have also faced a crisis of faith, and have been divided into factions. Some of them have remained loyal to him, and have continued to follow his orders and revelations, even from prison. Others have renounced him, and have left the FLDS, or have joined other splinter groups. Still others have tried to reform the FLDS, and have challenged his authority and policies.
His community has also been affected by his crimes, and has faced legal and social challenges. The authorities have raided the FLDS compounds, and have seized their properties and assets. They have also rescued and relocated hundreds of children, who were at risk of abuse and neglect. The media and the public have also scrutinized and criticized the FLDS, and have exposed their secrets and scandals.
Warren Jeffs is a pedophile, who used his position as the leader of the FLDS to sexually abuse and exploit young girls, who he claimed were his wives. He is also a criminal, who violated the laws and the rights of his victims, and who tried to evade justice and accountability. He is now serving a life sentence plus 20 years for his crimes, and is unlikely to ever be released.
His crimes have also exposed the dark and disturbing reality of the FLDS, a polygamous cult that practices child marriage and sexual abuse, and that isolates and controls its members. His crimes have also sparked a debate and a movement, about the rights and the welfare of the women and the children in the FLDS, and about the role and the responsibility of the state and the society in protecting them.
Warren Jeffs is a pedophile, and a life sentence for sexual assault is a fitting punishment for him. But his crimes are not just his crimes. They are also the crimes of the FLDS, and the crimes of the system and the culture that enabled and tolerated them. And they are also the crimes that demand and deserve our attention and our action.
