Warren Jeffs, polygamous leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was taken into custody by Arizona authorities, and he faces conviction for sex charges after arranging marriages of two minor girls to older relatives.

Jeffs, who has already been convicted in Utah for one of these cases, will plead not guilty in a Kingman court, Wednesday, says defense lawyer Mike Piccarreta.

Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard said that law applies to everybody, irrespective of his status, and that child abuse is a serious crime. Jeffs, 52, was arrested on six counts of sexual conduct with a minor, four counts of incest and one count of conspiracy to conduct sexual conduct with a minor, ABC News informs.

The sect leader is being prosecuted by Arizona authorities, after he had allegedly arranged the marriage of a man in his 50s to a 17-year-old relative and another marriage between a 19-year-old man to a 14-year-old cousin. Members of the church live in the isolated towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona.

Last year, Jeffs was convicted in Utah of rape as an accomplice in the latter case.

Jeffs’ case will be trailed by Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steven F. Conn. However, Mike Piccarreta, defending Jeffs, intends to ask the trial to be moved out of Mohave County due to “massive amounts of unfavorable media coverage” related to Jeffs, Salt Lake Tribune informs. Piccarreta additionally motivated that the change of location would also favor a fair trial for his client.

“If people want to give Mr. Jeffs a fair trial, we have to hold it in an area as far away as practical from the other case in Utah. And that case to me is an example of what occurs when you don't take the case away from people that have lots of knowledge and local publicity that has tainted the jury panel,” he said.

Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith opposed Piccarreta's request, saying that the trial should be held in Mohave County, as it is the location where the crimes occurred.

Jeffs, appointed president of the FLDS church in 2002, was arrested in Nevada in August 2006. He was sentenced in Utah to two consecutive terms of five years to life prison, and if he is convicted in Arizona too, he would have to complete his Utah sentence before serving time in Arizona.