Over the centuries, courts around the world have handed down some staggering prison sentences. While many of these extreme sentences are symbolic or designed to ensure that a convict never walks free again, they highlight the severity of the crimes committed and the legal system’s responses.
While most of these enormous sentences are largely symbolic or limited by local laws, they reflect the judicial system’s intent to impose justice and prevent the recurrence of such horrific crimes.
These cases also raise questions about proportionality, deterrence, and rehabilitation in modern criminal justice systems.
Here are the top 10 longest confirmed prison sentences in recorded history.
1. Chamoy Thipyaso – 141,078 years (Thailand)
In 1989, Thai woman Chamoy Thipyaso was sentenced to a jaw-dropping 141,078 years in prison for defrauding more than 16,000 people in a pyramid scheme tied to the military. Though the sentence was unprecedented, Thai law at the time capped imprisonment for financial crimes at 20 years, meaning she served just eight.
2. Otman El Gnaoui – 42,924 years (Spain)
A member of the terrorist group responsible for the 2004 Madrid train bombings, Otman El Gnaoui received 42,924 years in 2007. The sentence accounted for 191 deaths and 1,856 attempted murders, though Spanish law limits actual prison time to 40 years.
3. Charles Scott Robinson – 30,000 years (USA)
In 1994, Charles Scott Robinson was convicted of six counts of child rape in Oklahoma and sentenced to 5,000 years for each count, totalling 30,000 years. It remains one of the longest prison sentences in U.S. history.
4. Darron Bennalford Anderson – 11,250 years (USA)
Originally sentenced to 2,200 years, Anderson received an even harsher 11,250-year sentence after appealing his original conviction in 1997. His crimes included robbery, kidnapping, and burglary in Oklahoma.
5. James Eagan Holmes – 3,318 years + 12 Life Sentences (USA)
The perpetrator of the 2012 Aurora, Colorado movie theatre shooting, Holmes, was sentenced to 12 consecutive life sentences plus 3,318 years without parole. He killed 12 people and injured 70.
6. Abdallah Barrak – 3,000 years (USA)
Convicted in 2000 of multiple counts of sexual assault and exploitation of minors, Barrak was sentenced in California to 3,000 years, making it one of the longest punishments in U.S. criminal history.
7. Martin Bryant – 1,035 years (Australia)
Bryant was responsible for the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania in 1996, where he killed 35 people and wounded 23 others. He was given 35 life sentences plus 1,035 years without parole, the longest in Australian history.
8. Billy Joe Godfrey – 1,830 years (USA)
In 2015, Missouri resident Billy Joe Godfrey pleaded guilty to multiple counts of child sex abuse and was sentenced to 1,830 years in prison. The court imposed 30 years per count, reflecting the gravity of his offenses.
9. Allan Wayne McLaurin – 20,750 years (USA)
McLaurin was convicted alongside Darron Anderson for a brutal crime spree including rape, robbery, and kidnapping in 1994. He received 21 consecutive sentences, totalling 20,750 years.
10. Zhenli Ye Gon – 1,000+ years (Mexico)
A Chinese-Mexican businessman convicted of drug trafficking, weapons possession, and money laundering, Ye Gon was tied to one of Mexico’s largest drug busts. While exact sentencing varied by charge, he faced multiple life sentences and over 1,000 years in total.
