Sexual predator to be released early

CultNews.com/September 16, 2002
By Rick Ross

Polygamist David Ortell Kingston was sentenced to ten years in prison on third-degree felony convictions for incest and sexual contact with a minor child. The victim was Kingston's own niece, who he took as his 15th wife.

Now a Utah parole board has decided to release Kingston after serving only four years, because he promised not to do it again and is a "model prisoner." Not only will the convicted sex offender be released early, he will also not be under any further supervision after that date, reports the Salt Lake City Tribune.

It's not surprising that Kingston is a "model prisoner," since there are probably no little girls within his cellblock. What's surprising is the inequity regarding the treatment of polygamists within Utah.

Polygamist Tom Green was first sentenced to five years for bigamy then later sentenced five years to life for "child rape." But unlike Kingston, whose niece fled, Green's "wife" stayed, bore him children and testified in his defense.

However, the Kingston clan is an "affluent" group and apparently receives somewhat different treatment in Utah.

And then there's Rulon Jeffs who died peacefully in his bed at 92. Despite the fact that Jeffs had a reported 19 wives he was never even charged. Jeffs led the richest polygamist group in North America.

Both Kingston and Jeffs also represent long-established polygamist clans, while Green was a maverick.

So it seems like poor, unconnected polygamists better be careful in Utah, while rich established ones may have some leeway.