Warren Steed Jeffs Found Guilty

09/26/07

St. George Utah - On September 25, 2007, the trial of Warren Steed Jeffs, leader of a polygamous sect, ended with a guilty conviction. The eight-member state jury rendered a unanimous verdict—finding Jeffs guilty as an accomplice for the rape of a 14-year old follower to her 19-year old cousin. The young woman, now 21, testified that she was forced into the marriage which led to nonconsensual sex. After the trial ended, she spoke outside the courthouse and said, "The trial has not been about religion nor a vendetta. It is simply about child abuse and preventing further abuse." Under Utah law, even with parental consent, a 14-year old is not permitted to marry.

The Intermountain West RCFL in Salt Lake City provided digital forensics assistance to investigators and prosecutors assigned to this case.

Jeffs's sentencing is scheduled for November 20, 2007 where he faces life in prison. Nonetheless, his legal woes are far from over. He still faces state charges in Arizona and a federal indictment for flight to avoid prosecution. He was on the run for over a year before being arrested on August 29, 2006 during a routine traffic stop in northern Las Vegas. During that time, he landed on the FBI's Most Wanted List. Jeffs's lawyers plan to appeal his conviction.

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