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Polygamist Sect Member Guilty of Sex Assault

Texas court convicts FLDS man married to underage girl

By the Associated Press

Posted Nov 5, 2009 7:14 PM CST

(AP) – Jurors in the first criminal trial following the raid of a polygamist group's Texas ranch today convicted a member of sexual assault of a child. Raymond Jessop, 38, was found guilty of the charge that stemmed from his alleged marriage to an underage girl. He's the first group member to face a criminal trial since authorities raided the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' ranch in Eldorado last year.

Prosecutors say the girl was brought to the Yearning For Zion Ranch at age 15 and entered a so-called "spiritual" marriage with Jessop. She became pregnant at 16. Defense attorneys argued prosecutors failed to produce a witness that placed Jessop in Schleicher County at the time of the alleged assault.

Raymond Jessop, the first man to face criminal charges following the raid of a polygamist sect's West Texas ranch in 2008, is seen outside the courtroom today.
Raymond Jessop, the first man to face criminal charges following the raid of a polygamist sect's West Texas ranch in 2008, is seen outside the courtroom today.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 15 comments
Kookey90
Nov 9, 2009 2:19 AM CST
A little prison time will put this dude in Morman heaven; he can now have all the poligamist relations he wants with the Boyz in Cell Block D. He'll be the the Bitch of Cell Block C in no time.
riffran
Nov 6, 2009 12:41 PM CST
uhhh count.....I could really care less if same sex couples get hitched...just keep "that thang" away from me is my opinion....BUT what those creeps did at FLDS is beyond reprehensible...those poor kids...I had to take care of one for a minor injury (nothing serious)...and I have never seen a more emotion absent/ deprived child in my life...poor thing was only four or five, and was already a broken spirited *ahem* mindless compliant robot....To do that to an innocent child is the work of a monster...and that fricken cult was nothing but sicko evil monsters using the guise of faith to warp the impressionable
MoodyMommy
Nov 6, 2009 11:34 AM CST
O.K. the child was pregnant with his child but he wasn't in the area. What is that divine interception. The things man does in the name of God. I wish I had a front row seat when this one sees judgment.

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

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