Warren Jeffs is the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), a polygamous cult.
He was convicted of several sex crimes involving underage girls.
Jeffs arranged illegal child marriages between his adult male followers and underage girls, some as young as 12 years old, and was placed on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list in 2006 for fleeing charges related to these child marriages.
He allegedly used his power as the FLDS prophet to sexually abuse his own daughter and other children in the community.
Jeffs imposed strict rules and restrictions on FLDS members, banning television, movies and fictional books, and requiring women to “keep sweet” and obey their husbands and Jeffs.
Siblings
Jeffs has numerous siblings.
Isaac Steed Jeffs, born in 1975, is Jeffs’ youngest sibling, currently around 47 years old.
Isaac has been involved in visiting Warren in prison and was present during Warren’s arrest in 2006.
Nephi is responsible for transcribing and delivering Warren’s messages during his time in prison.
Nephi currently has 14 wives.
Wendell Jeffson, one of Jeffs’ sons, was raised on a ranch near Eldorado, Texas, with nearly 50 siblings.
He has spoken out about his father’s abuse and control.
Wallace Jeffs is Warren’s half-brother, who left the FLDS and spoke out against Warren.
Wallace has faced challenges, including a car accident he believes was orchestrated by FLDS leaders.
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Church leadership
Jeffs assumed leadership of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) following his father’s death in 2002, despite not being the eldest son.
His rise to power was marked by a succession crisis and his ability to connect emotionally with followers, leveraging his charisma and persuasive skills.
Jeffs consolidated his authority by exiling opponents, including his own brothers, and imposing strict control over the community, isolating them from the outside world.
Under Jeffs’ leadership, the FLDS saw the arrangement of illegal child marriages, with girls as young as 12 being married off to adult male followers.
This practice, along with Jeffs’ manipulation and strict rules, maintained his power and influence.
Eventually, Jeffs’ actions led to his conviction for child sexual assault in 2011, resulting in a life sentence plus 20 years in prison.
Despite his imprisonment, the FLDS continues to exist, albeit in a more secretive and fragmented state, following the end of Jeffs’ reign characterized by fear, manipulation and abuse.
Convictions
In 2011, Jeffs was found guilty in Texas of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl, whom he had taken as “child brides” in the FLDS community.
In 2007, he was convicted in Utah of two counts of rape as an accomplice for arranging marriages of underage girls to adult men, but this conviction was later overturned.
Additionally, Jeffs faced charges in Arizona related to the arranged marriages of three teenage girls to older men, which were dismissed in 2010.
His convictions and charges centered around the sexual exploitation and abuse of underage girls within the FLDS community.
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