The upcoming Netflix docuseries Trust Me: The False Prophet examines how Samuel Bateman claimed divine authority to start his own radical sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS).
He did this in defiance of “prophet” Warren Jeffs, who, similar to Bateman, used his leadership position to conceal disturbing crimes.
Jeffs, now 70, is serving a life prison sentence for sexual assault convictions. Despite his own crimes and Bateman’s challenge, however, he remains a prominent figure in the FLDS community.
Here’s everything you need to know about Jeffs’s rise and downfall, as well as his life today.
How Did Warren Jeffs Become the FLDS “Prophet?”
Jeffs was born December 3, 1955, and grew up outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. He was fully raised within the FLDS faith. He served as the principal of Alta Academy, an FLDS private school in the area.
His father, Rulon Jeffs, became the FLDS prophet in 1986 and dissolved the group’s council, positioning himself as the only leader. Warren, who survived a premature birth, was seen as a golden child and his likely successor.
Following Rulon’s death, Warren succeeded his father in 2002 and lived in the FLDS community of “Short Creek,” encompassing the towns of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah. He established an outpost, the Yearning for Zion Ranch, in Texas and implemented strict rules for followers. These limited the clothing they could wear and toys children could play with, as well as banning television and the internet.
How Many Wives Did Warren Jeffs Have?
Rulon Jeffs had at least 50 wives and dozens of children because the FLDS practices polygamy, or plural marriage. Warren built a similarly large family tree. In 2018, The Guardian reported he wed 80 women and children, though the marriages were only spiritual and not legally recognized.
Warren even chose to marry some of his father’s wives—including Naomie Jeffs, who served as his scribe at ceremonies and sermons, according to People, and was considered his favorite. She revealed in the Peacock docuseries Preaching Evil: A Wife on the Run With Warren Jeffs that she and Jeffs no longer consider themselves a couple after he asked her to complete unspecified tasks during his incarceration.
Jeffs’ 65th wife, Briell Decker, simply described him as “creepy.”
“When Warren was around, I’d go into hiding,” Decker told The Guardian. “If I didn’t, I’d have to be part of the temple stuff that he was doing.”
What Crimes Did Warren Jeffs Commit?
Jeffs soon faced disturbing legal challenges, with his nephew Brent Jeffs alleging his uncle had sexually assaulted him as a child. Two of Jeffs’s children, who are no longer part of the FLDS, have since made similar public claims.
In 2005, Arizona authorities indicted Jeffs on charges of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor, Biography.com has noted. He also faced two counts of rape as an accomplice in 2006 in Utah for his role in arranging a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin.
Jeffs was ultimately added to the FBI’s Most Wanted list in 2006 and arrested in August of that year. He was convicted on charges of being an accessory to rape in Utah in 2007, but the conviction was overturned. The following year, a raid on the YFZ Ranch in Texas unearthed evidence of Jeffs and his followers marrying underage girls.
Jeffs went on trial in 2011 for two “celestial marriages”—one with a 12-year-old girl and another with a 15-year-old girl who later had his child. Both violated Texas law. He was ultimately found guilty on both counts of sexual assault in 2011 and sentenced to life in prison.
Where Is Warren Jeffs Serving His Prison Sentence?
According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmate database, Jeffs is currently housed at the Louis C. Powledge Unit located in unincorporated Anderson County, Texas. He was transferred there in August 2011 after his conviction.
Jeffs does not have a projected release date, and he will become eligible for parole on July 22, 2038.
According to reports, Jeffs had at least one suicide attempt while imprisoned—attempting to hang himself in 2007—and was hospitalized for pneumonia in 2011 after participating in a three-day fast.
In March 2016, a Deseret News report offered details of his daily routine. Jeffs is held in “protective custody” to protect him from other inmates, and he sometimes received more than 1,000 written letters per day from FLDS members. Each has to be opened and inspected before he can read them. His meals are delivered to his cell, and he regularly denies interview requests.
Does Warren Jeffs Still Lead the FLDS?
According to the A&E docuseries Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil, the FLDS has lost hundreds of members and control of the Short Creek sister cities inhabited by Samuel Bateman since his imprisonment.
Despite this, Jeffs’s daughter Rachel alleged following Roy’s death in 2019 that her father was still in full control of the FLDS. Those who still follow him believe he is a sacrificial figure who is in prison to atone for their sins.
According to A&E, prison officials have suspected Jeffs’s brothers used hidden recording devices—disguised as items such as watches and pens—to capture weekly meetings with him. They claimed he also wrote coded letters, which were picked up and deciphered by wives from the group.
Although Jeffs has seemingly tried to keep his communications under wraps, he was linked to a 2022 written edict. The document, which was purportedly written by Jeffs and distributed by a son named Helaman Jeffs, called on ex-members to return to the faith and hinted at Jeffs’s future release. “Pray that Warren Jeffs will go free, and he can meet you in your congregations soon, all peoples who desire to be members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on earth," it said, according to Fox 13.
For now, the self-proclaimed prophet remains behind bars, but it’s clear his influence won’t fully fade anytime soon.
Watch Trust Me: The False Prophet on Netflix Starting April 8
Rachel Dretzin, the director of Trust Me: The False Prophet previously examined the rise and fall of Jeffs in the 2022 docuseries Keep Sweet: Prey and Obey, also on Netflix. It’s unclear how much the new project will focus on the faith leader and his involuntary connection to Bateman.
All four episodes of Trust Me begin streaming Wednesday, April 8 on Netflix.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
