‘Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey’: Who Is Charlene Jeffs, and Where Is She Now?
Netflix’s four-part docuseries Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey dives into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or FLDS, and its leader Warren Jeffs. His sister-in-law Charlene Jeffs was featured in the documentary and gave her first-hand account of her experience in the religious sect. Where is she now?
Who is Charlene Jeffs?
In 1983, Charlene married Lyle Jeffs, becoming the first of his nine wives.
Jeffs’ father was Rulon Jeffs, the original President of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints before his brother Warren filled the position as Prophet following Rulon’s death in 2002.
The FLDS couple raised 10 children and seemingly lived a simple life until she was exiled from the community in 2012. In Netflix’s docuseries Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, Charlene claimed the Priesthood kicked her off the compound for complaining, although she couldn’t recall protesting anything.
During her banishment, she was restricted to a garage, and a trailer and reportedly couldn’t contact any of her kids. In 2014, Charlene was asked to leave the compound for “unrighteous” behavior.
Where is Charlene Jeffs now?
Therefore, she attempted to gain custody of her two youngest children, who were then minors.
In 2015, the court awarded her joint custody. Her kids were mandated to live with her, but they were initially apprehensive.
Shortly after getting her kids, Charlene noted that she still loved her husband and would return to the FLDS community if their way of life reverted to how it was before Warren became the Prophet.
However, a year later, she admitted the religious sect had taught her that loyalty to God and the leader are the “first and foremost thing in your life.” The former FLDS follower has since left the religious sect and seems focused on raising her children. It’s assumed she still lives in Hildale, Utah.
Lyle Jeffs took over FLDS church after his brother Warren’s conviction
After Warren was jailed as an accomplice to rape, the authorities raided the temple at Yearning For Zion (YFZ) Ranch.
There, they found records and recordings that he performed the weddings of underage girls and took at least 24 teen brides for himself.
As part of their belief system that taught polygamy, or plural marriages, would give men the highest level of salvation in the afterlife, Warren preached the followers should have at least three wives.
Additionally, he claimed the more brides they had, the closer to God they were, and he reportedly had nearly 80 wives. Following his 2011 conviction, Lyle took over the sect. However, he was removed from his position as bishop of the FLDS church in Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, in 2012.
Where is Lyle Jeffs now?
The United States Department of Labor investigated the church on suspicion of child labor violations when a report called out the sect for using children to harvest nuts at a Utah-based ranch.
A judge ruled that he ignored the subpoenas and held him in contempt of court.
As a result of the investigation, the church was fined $1.96 million in 2015. After reportedly removing his ankle bracelet to escape house arrest, he was detained by the FBI in 2017.
Lyle was then convicted on counts of orchestrating a welfare fraud scheme and sentenced to five years in prison and three years probation. He was released in March 2021 and is currently a free man. Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey is streaming on Netflix.
