The Brief
- Sansue Bee Vang, 58, the leader of an Oroville-based cult, was sentenced to 225 years to life in prison for raping two women and molesting four young girls.
- Five victims shared impact statements detailing lasting mental health and family trauma before Judge Philip Heithecker handed down the maximum sentence.
- Despite the life term, District Attorney Mike Ramsey noted that California’s “elder parole” laws mean Vang will be eligible for a parole hearing in 20 years.
BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. – Sansue Bee Vang, the founder and self-proclaimed prophet of a Hmong religious organization, has been sentenced to the maximum term of 225 years to life in state prison.
The sentencing follows a seven-day trial where a Butte County jury found Vang guilty of eight counts of child molestation and three counts of rape targeting members of his congregation.
What we know:…