Polygamy Prosecutors See Unfinished Job

In this photo taken within the last year and provided by the Arizona Attorney General's Office, Warren Jeffs is shown. On Wednesday, July 12, 2005, the attorneys general for Arizona and Utah announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Jeffs, the reclusive leader of a polygamous church based in communities along the states' common border. Jeffs, 49, who has not been publicly sighted in months, was charged in Arizona in early June with counts that include conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor.(AP Photo/Arizona Attorney General's Office) (AP)

He said several of his clients have continued to live the lives they were leading before they were indicted. "These are intact families," he said. "They continue to live together and have multiple children and have no inclination of changing their family structures."

Flora Jessop of Phoenix, a former FLDS member who fled the Colorado City community in 1996, said authorities have accomplished "nothing" to fight child abuse.

"I think the attorney generals of Utah and Arizona have done a very good job of telling us they're doing a very good job," said Jessop, who also is executive director of the Child Protection Project, which raises awareness about child abuse.

"What has actually been accomplished? Let's see, out of eight indictments they brought, the maximum sentence we've received for one of those guys is nine months ... It's absolutely too little, it's way too little."

Smith pointed to the arrest and current imprisonment of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, who is being held in Utah on two counts of rape by accomplice and faces life terms in prison if convicted. In Arizona, he faces sexual misconduct charges which carry lesser penalties.

Both states brought the charges in connection with marriages Jeffs allegedly arranged between older men and teenage girls.

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On the Net:

Arizona Attorney General's Office: http://www.azag.gov/

Mohave County Attorney's Office: http://www.co.mohave.az.us/

Child Protection Project: http://www.childpro.org/