Warren Jeffs Still Has Followers From Jail Cell

While serving a life sentence for abusing young girls, polygamist still has women under his grip.
3:16 | 04/03/13


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Transcript for Warren Jeffs Still Has Followers From Jail Cell
Now we have an abc news investigation into the power of warren jeffs, even from behind prison bars. You'll rememr he's the religious leader serving a life sentence for abusing young girls he called brides. But tonight, five years after his compound in texas was raided, abc's amy robach finds that his thousands of followers are still in his col. ReporHE IMAGES ARE Unforgettable. Hundreds of women and children herded onto buses during the raid of the yearning for zion ranch in texas. The charge against warren jeffs -- sexual abuse of underage girls. After an intensive trial, the man who married over 80 women was sentenced to prison for the sexual assault of two girls, ages 12 and 15. Though he is serving a life sentence, 8,000 people in this town still call him their prophet, and they're wary of outsiders. It's not any of you guys' beeswax. Reporter: But from behind prison walls, jeffs continues to issue edicts. At home, you couldn't have any toys. You couldn't ride bikes either. No sex between husband and wife. Reporter: According to former members, jeffs designated 15 men to father all the children in the community. If a woman wants to have a baby or whatever, she has to go to one of those 15 men. Reporter: This week, former flds member andrew chatwin showed us how jeffs is separating families. This house is full of young men. I've heard it's down to 12 years old. Reporter: Some believe he wants control over the children. He says he's having revelations from god about who to banish from the community. Here, we have a mom living in A 16x16 SHED WITH HER SEVEN Children. Reporter: Chatwin told us many families are going hungry, ordered by warren jeffs to eat only beans and water. The church is strapped for cash. With this car lot, warren jeffs has now given a new order for people to turn cars into the church, and the church is going to sell them from this car lot. Reporter: In an investigation by "20/20" last fall, we showed how jeffs even ordered young boys to drop out of school to build his multimillion dollar mansion. They said if we built it, then it would melt the bars or whatever in his jail, and he would be released. Reporter: This week, we called the texas department of corrections. There are people who say he's more powerful now behind bars than he was when he was living in that community. If somebody comes in and visits with them, and he gives them instructions and they take them back by word of mouth, there's just nothing we can do to control that. Reporter: We wondered why people continue to support jeffs. I don't care to respond. Reporter: You won't talk to us? No? Nothing? You won't even acknowledge I'm here. Get that thing out of here. Reporter: Five years later, loyalty to warren jeffs is still absolute. And amy robach is here right now. Of course the biggest concern always for the young children, the young girls. Are still in danger? Does anyone know? According to every ex-flds member we've spoken to, the answer is yes. Police say they have very little authority because the parents of these children are relinquishing control over to other adults as has been dictated by warren jeffs and police say without a witness, there's very little they can do. And they won't come forward. Thanks so much, amy. Coming up here, it's time for the instant index, a big


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