The jury sentenced Jeffs to life in prison for aggravated sexual assault of a 12 - year - old girl and 20 years in prison for the sexual assault of a 15 - year - old girl .
life in prison
jury sentence jeffs life prison aggravate sexual assault 12 year old girl 20 year prison sexual assault 15 year old girl
The jury sentenced Jeffs to <m> life in prison </m> for aggravated sexual assault of a 12 - year - old girl and 20 years in prison for the sexual assault of a 15 - year - old girl .
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Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs sentenced to life in prison
August 10 , 2011 - - Updated 0947 GMT ( 1747 HKT )
Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison plus 20 years for sexually assaulting two girls he claimed were his "spiritual wives . "
Jeffs , 55 , will have to spend at least 45 years in prison before being eligible for release , according to Jerry Strickland , spokesman for the Texas Attorney General's office .
The jury sentenced Jeffs to <m> life in prison </m> for aggravated sexual assault of a 12 - year - old girl and 20 years in prison for the sexual assault of a 15 - year - old girl .
He must serve at least 35 years of the life sentence and half of the other sentence , Strickland said .
The judge in the case ordered that the sentences be served consecutively .
"Justice has been served , " Jeffs' nephew , Brent Jeffs , told InSession soon after the sentence .
He testified during the penalty phase of his uncle's trial that Jeffs raped him when he was 5 years old .
"I finally had this day and it was an awesome day in court to be here , involved in all of this , " said Brent Jeffs , now 28 .
Jeffs perverted his position as the head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints to "satisfy his own personal appetites and desires , " prosecutor Eric Nichols said .
Those appetites included forcing sex on the two girls , 12 and 15 , who he had taken as wives , prosecutors said .
Audiotapes seized from his car and the church's Yearning For Zion Ranch compound in Eldorado , Texas , and played for jurors during his trial , depicted Jeffs offering "celestial marriage" instructions to the young wives , according to prosecutors .
"You have to know how to be sexually excited and to help each other . . . and you have to be ready for the time I need your comfort , " a man's voice says .
"This is your mission .
This is how you abide the law .
At one point , the man says , "Take your clothes off .
Do it right now , " followed by the sounds of crying .
"Just don't think about the pain ; you're going to heaven , " the man says .
"Rarely if ever in the criminal justice system in Texas have we ever encouraged a person such as Warren Jeffs , whose criminal conduct spans decades , multiple jurisdictions and hundreds of victims , " Nichols said .
A former member of the church , Rebecca Musser , said the verdict will not bring back lost innocence .
But she said it can help others escape from abuse they may have suffered .
"Whether the currency is God or greed , the trafficking of women and children for sex is a form of slavery , " she said .
Jeffs is the eighth person from the ranch to be convicted on sexual assault , bigamy and other charges , according to the Texas Attorney General's office .
Four others are awaiting trial .
Attorney General Greg Abbott said he believes authorities have rooted out the molesters from the ranch , but will continue to monitor the church's activities there .
"We have an ongoing open investigation that will evaluate all evidence about any kind of wrongdoing out there at the compound whatsoever , " Abbott said .
Jurors came back with the sentence after 30 minutes of deliberations Tuesday .
They began their work Tuesday morning following brief closing statements by prosecutor Nichols .
Jeffs , who has argued that he and his faith were being persecuted , instructed his attorneys to deliver no closing statement .
"This is not the prosecution to persecute a people , this is a prosecution to protect a people , " Nichols told jurors .
Jeffs did not attend the closing statement .
In addition to tape recordings that the state said depicted sex acts with minors , prosecutors also presented evidence that Jeffs knew he was wanted by federal authorities and that his behavior would be shunned by outsiders .
FBI Special Agent John Broadway testified that Jeffs ordered the destruction of various discs and transcripts three days after an arrest warrant was issued for him on June 10 , 2005 .
The polygamist sect leader established "houses of hiding , " allegedly with young girls for him to marry , Broadway said .
The FBI agent also read from a priesthood record , in which Jeffs allegedly wrote : "Things are happening so quickly .
There is an even younger girl that the Lord wants me to take .
She is 13 .
For some reason the Lord is sending me these girls that can be worked with . "
Jeffs also wrote : "If the world knew what I was doing , they would hang me from the highest tree , " according to evidence presented in court .
Referring to that comment , prosecutor Nichols said during his closing statement that "Yes , this is Texas .
But no , we don't hang convicts anymore from the highest tree , and we don't have the ability to call down the wrath of the Almighty . . .
We as a people choose to isolate our worst offenders , to keep them away from their past and future victims . "
Jeffs' breakaway sect is believed to have about 10 , 000 followers .
Their practice of polygamy , which the mainstream Mormon Church renounced more than a century ago , is part of the sect's doctrine .