In what way did they risk jail? Unless they violate tax laws or attempt to register the later unions as legal marriages, no prosecutor is going to come after them.
On December 13, 2013, Federal Judge Clark Waddoups ruled that portions of Utah's ban on multiple cohabitation were unconstitutional and found in favor of the Browns, but also allowed Utah to maintain its ban on multiple marriage licenses.
My friend and I watch this show so we can snark about it together. The Browns are a bunch of morons and the women are miserable. No wonder the kids don't want anything to do with polygamy.
I have to wonder if welfare fraud was part of the Utah AG's investigation. Two of the wives admit to being on welfare/using food stamps, one of them well into filming the show. Every one of the wives and the husband have filed for bankruptcy at one time or another.