Sect Leader Sentenced for Role in Young Bride's Rape
Arizona Republic
November 21, 2007
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/1121jeffs1121.html?&wired
A Utah judge Tuesday sentenced polygamous-sect leader Warren Jeffs to two consecutive terms of five years to life in prison for his role in the arranged marriage of a 14-year-old follower.
Jeffs, 51, was convicted of two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in the marriage of the 14-year-old and her 19-year-old cousin in 2001. It will be up to the Utah parole board to decide how long Jeffs stays behind bars.
Jeffs' attorney, Wally Bugden, had asked the judge for concurrent sentences. "This was all about religion," Bugden said outside court. "The foundation of this case was the prosecution of Mr. Jeffs because of placement marriages."
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Jeffs' legal troubles now will shift to Arizona. He will stand trial next in Kingman, where he faces charges of being an accomplice to sexual conduct with a minor, conspiracy and incest.
A federal trial also is pending for felony flight charges stemming from Jeffs' disappearance in 2005. Melody Rydalch, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah, said an agreement was reached to have the defendant tried next in Kingman.
Arizona Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith issued a statement Tuesday, congratulating Utah prosecutors for doing "a fantastic job," and saying Jeffs will be given a trial date once he has entered the Utah prison system and gone through processing via an interstate compact.
Smith's deputy, Jace Zach, said that process may take two to six months after Jeffs formally enters the Utah Department of Corrections.
"Jeffs' tyrannical hold on members of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints is history," Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard said after the sentencing.
Jeffs, known as prophet in the FLDS, has not been charged with direct sexual misconduct involving children but with overseeing marriages between teenage girls and adult males through his role as a sect leader.
Washington County, Utah, prosecutors said Jeffs enticed Elissa Wall into marriage and sex against her will by telling her that the relationship was commanded by God and that any refusal would place her salvation at risk.
As a victim in the case, Wall had the right to receive $5,000 from Jeffs as restitution, but she declined Tuesday.
"My restitution is knowing that I spoke the truth and that you and the justice system have done your job," she told state Judge James Shumate.
The Utah parole board's first opportunity to review Jeffs' case comes in 2010, although it could decide to wait longer.
Jeffs' indictments in Mohave County date to events as far back as seven years. If convicted on all counts, Zach said, the sentence could total nearly 20 years. However, judges often make some terms concurrent, and a term of seven years would be more likely.
In the Utah case, jurors said Wall's age was a major factor in their decision. Under Utah law, a 14-year-old can consent to sex in some circumstances. But it is not considered consensual if a person younger than 18 is enticed by someone at least three years older. Arizona law contains no provision for consent at 14.
The prosecutions in both states are part of a campaign launched by authorities several years ago in response to published reports of incest, child sexual abuse and other crimes in Colorado City and Hildale, twin cities on the Arizona-Utah line. Investigators focused their efforts on cases involving child brides, and avoided filing charges based on polygamy.
The criminal courtroom is only one front in efforts by state and county authorities in both states. Among others:
• Civil litigation led to the seizure of a $100 million church trust that owned most of the property and businesses in town.
• A half-dozen members of the local police force have been decertified.
• State attorneys in Arizona are investigating charges of civil-rights violations at some FLDS businesses.
• Child Protective Services workers have established outreach programs in the community.
• A hotline has been established for child victims.
Those initiatives and media exposure have caused devotees to withdraw into even greater isolation. They are unwilling to discuss how Jeffs' incarceration and court battles will affect leadership in the FLDS church.
At one point while in jail, Jeffs renounced his title as prophet, described himself as "wicked" and attempted suicide.
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