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SAN ANGELO, Texas -- A man who used to have control over an entire religion is now learning a new life in which he has little control. Warren Jeffs is serving life in prison for the aggravated sexual assault of 12 and 15 year old girls.
Jeffs is currently in the intake process at a prison in Texas. Officials are picking his cell and deciding what his job will be.
The first image of Warren Jeffs following his conviction and sentencing is shocking. His head shaved in his prison mug shot. It's part of his entry into the prison system according to Jason Clark, spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
He's expected to follow the prison's routine: Up at 3:30, breakfast at 4:30 and report to work by 6:00. It's a far cry from the powerful man who had the undivided attention of many.
Tapes released this week show just how loyal Jeffs followers were - and just how manipulative he could be.
In one roughly three training session, he instructs wives on how to prepare for what he calls heavenly sessions:
He also instructs them on how he would like them to break down their "false traditions" as well as groom themselves.
"Have the ladies shave their underarms for cleaner hygiene. You can get a shaver right there. Put it in your pocket and don't leave it in the showers." There are ironic moments in the tape: Perhaps the most telling statement comes at the end of that tape, warning about predatory actions from a man now deemed a predator himself.
Jeffs: You ladies just don't know how men out in the world are. Group: We're so glad we don't know
Jeffs will have little contact with his followers in prison. Once he's been given his unit assignment, Clark says Jeffs will be able to have visitors on weekends and to make phone calls, something for which he gained a reputation in the county lock-up which was his home during his trial.
"Because he has an aggravated sexual assault charge of a child, he would not be allowed to have any sort of contact with anyone under the age of 17," Clark says, including Jeffs' own children.
Jail officials say he used prepaid phone cards to make extensive calls directing followers and even delivering Sunday sermons by phone. CNN reports his followers spent up to $3,000 on those phone cards.
In prison, his phone calls will be much more limited.
He will be allowed 15 minute phone calls with a total of 240 minutes per month only with 10 pre-approved people. All phone calls will be recorded and monitored.
Clark says Jeffs also falls into more limits on who can visit and speak with him because of his child sex offender status.
"Because he has an aggravated sexual assault charge of a child, he would not be allowed to have any sort of contact with anyone under the age of 17," Clark says, including Jeffs' own children.
Whether Jeffs is a sex offender makes no difference on whether he gets conjugal visits - the Texas system does not allow conjugal visits for any inmate, regardless of the crime committed.
What is still being determined, in addition to Jeffs' placement and prison job, is whether he will need some kind of protection. Clark says the high-profile nature of his case makes that likely.
If he is given protection, it would likely fall into one of two categories - safekeeping, where he would have a separate sleeping area from the rest of the prison population, or protective custody, which would mean not only would he have a separate sleeping area, but he would stay in his cell 22 hours a day, eating his meals there as well. He would be given an hour for exercise outside of his cell and access to showers.
Story written with contributions from [Sarah Dallof](<mailto: sdallof@kls.com>) and [Becky Bruce](<mailto: bbruce@ksl.com>)
