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Lyle Jeffs to be sentenced today, ending polygamous sect food stamp fraud case

Lyle Jeffs, who once was the day-to-day leader of the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, will learn Wednesday how much time he’ll serve in a federal prison for defrauding a government assistance program and then fleeing.

U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart will sentence Jeffs to somewhere between 57 and 71 months, according to an order he issued Monday that ruled on arguments among the attorneys.

Jeffs, 57, pleaded guilty in September to one count of defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and one count of failure to appear in court. A money laundering count was dismissed as part of a plea deal.