Warren Jeffs led a religious group called the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints, also known as the FLDS. Over many years as their leader, Warren amassed a large personal fortune estimated at $100 million.
The FLDS has beliefs different from mainstream Mormons. Some say Warren promoted harmful and unfair views toward others. Because of this, Warren Jeffs was considered one of America’s most wanted fugitives.
In 2011, Warren stood trial. A court found him guilty of terrible crimes against children. He was sentenced to spend the rest of his life, plus 20 more years, behind bars. Warren also faced other serious charges.
His controversial life drew lots of attention. This article closely examines Warren’s time with the FLDS church and his legal troubles.
Warren Jeffs – Biography
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | Warren Jeffs |
| Birth Place | Sacramento, California, U.S |
| Date of Birth | 3 December 1955 |
| Age | 67 Years Old |
| Currently Residence | Sacramento |
| Profession | American Cleric |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Christian |
| Ethnicity | White American |
| Net Worth | $100 Million |
| Hometown | Sacramento, California, U.S |
| Mother Name | Merilyn Steed |
| Father Name | Rulon Jeffs |
| Sister Name | Leslie Balmoforth Jeffs |
| Brother Name | Ward Jeffs, Lyle Jeffs, Isaac Steed Jeffs |
| Education Qualification | Graduate |
| College/University | Local University in United States |
| School/High School | Local High School in Sacramento, US |
| Wife | Nolita Collen Blackmore, Millie Blackmore, Merrianne Jessop, Naomi Jessop, Annie Mae Blackmore |
| Girlfriend | Merrianne Jessop, Nolita Collen Blackmore, Millie Blackmore, Naomi Jessop, Annie Mae Blackmore |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Children Name | Roy Jeffs (Son), Rachel Jeffs (Daughter), Becky Jeffs (Daughter) |
| Weight | 50 kg (110 lbs) |
| Height | 191 cm (5’7″) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Zodiac | Sagittarius |
Warren Jeffs Early Life and Education
- Warren Jeffs was born very early (two months premature) on December 3, 1955, in Sacramento, California.
- His parents were Merilyn Steed and Rulon Jeffs. Warren was born more than two months before his due date.
- Warren grew up outside Salt Lake City in Utah as a boy. He went to school there.
- For over 20 years, starting in 1976, Warren worked at a private school called Alta Academy.
- The school was for the FLDS religious group. Warren became the principal when he turned 21 years old.
- As principal, Warren was very strict about following the rules. He believed students should behave properly and be disciplined.
- People knew Warren as someone who enforced the school’s guidelines seriously.
Warren Jeffs Net Worth
Warren Jeffs’s estimated net worth was about $100 million. He earned this money by managing the FLDS Church’s possessions. However, his life in prison and the issues surrounding him have probably changed his financial situation.
Warren Jeffs Children
Warren Jeffs is a well-known figure in the media due to his involvement in a polygamist cult. In 2011, he was found guilty of two counts of child sexual assault and sentenced to life in prison. He was also investigated for arranging marriages between adult male followers and underage girls.
After his father died in 2002, Jeffs became the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In 2006, he gained notoriety by being placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list and having a $100,000 bounty for his arrest.
It is reported that Warren Jeffs had 78 wives, 24 of whom were underage girls. He is believed to have over 60 children, though the exact number remains unknown.
Warren Jeffs Controversies
Warren Jeffs and the FLDS Church have been embroiled in numerous controversies, primarily centered around their practice of polygamy and child marriage.
Jeffs himself has faced legal troubles for his involvement in these practices and has also been accused of child abuse and neglect within the FLDS community.
In 2008, the FLDS compound in Eldorado, Texas, was raided by the state after reports of underage girls being forced into marriage with older men.
During the raid, over 400 children were removed from the compound and placed in protective custody.
This incident sparked a national debate about the FLDS Church and its practices, with some arguing for the protection of their religious freedom and others speaking out against the mistreatment of women and children in the community.
Warren Jeffs House
The former home of polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs, a massive 44-bedroom house (29,000-square-foot) surrounded by towering brick walls, has been transformed into a sober living center by Evangelical missionaries.
This is another indication of the decline in control of Jeffs and his group, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), over the small community on the Utah-Arizona border.
Jeffs himself has not lived in the three-story house, known as the “Big House,” for quite some time as he is currently serving a life sentence in Texas for sexually assaulting underage girls he considered to be his brides. In his absence, the FLDS has faced government crackdowns and a loss of members who were either kicked out or chose to leave.
The 29,000-square-foot house, which was built around 2000, has been modernized, but traces of Jeffs’ legacy can still be seen.
Did Warren Jeffs Marry His Mother?
No, Warren Jeffs did not marry his mother. After the death of his father, Jeffs became the leader of the FLDS Church and married all but two of his father’s widows within a week.
One widow refused to marry him and was prohibited from marrying again, while the other fled the compound. Jeffs’ favorite wife and confidant was Naomi Jessop, one of his father’s former wives who he had married.
As the only person in the FLDS Church authorized to perform marriages, Jeffs had the power to assign wives to husbands and discipline male members by reassigning their wives, children, and homes to someone else.
