Curious what the longest prison sentences ever given are? The average person probably dreads the idea of spending even one night in a prison cell. But how does a life sentence sound? Well, there are a few moments in legal history where certain perpetrators of the law have received sentences much longer than that. Although a sentence longer than the criminal’s life span is not feasible from a practical point of view, reviewing the longest prison sentences ever given remains an interesting topic to approach.

We have compiled a list of the six longest sentences ever given to a single person, worldwide. Let’s take a look at the countdown.

No. 6: Darron Bennalford Anderson – US

Public Domain Image: Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

Length of Sentence: 2 millennia

One of Oklahoma’s most prolific criminals, with a record including everything from rape and robbery to kidnapping and larceny, Darron Bennalford Anderson was handed down a sentence of no less than 2 millennia back in 1944. Upon appealing the court’s decision, Anderson, he received further sentences for each of his crimes. In 1997, he once again appealed the decision and this time had a little more success, as his parole date was set as the year 2744.

See the rest of the world’s longest prison sentences ever given:



No. 5: The Iranian Conmen

Public Domain Image: Public Domain

Length of Sentence: 7,109 years

When it comes to serving justice in the Middle East, courts of law are rather swift and somewhat extreme. Two Iranian conmen learned this firsthand in 1969 when they were sentenced to 7,109 years in prison. One year for each of their transgressions.

No. 4: Juan Corona – US

Public Domain Image: Public Domain

Length of Sentence: 25 life sentences

In 1973, in the state of California, a fellow by name of Juan Corona was handed down a sentence of no less than 25 life sentences. In one short year, between 1970 and 1971 to be more exact, Corona had systematically killed 25 farm workers, which lead the judge to conclude that it was more than fair to give him one life sentence for every person he had massacred. Poetic justice.

No. 3: Bobbie Joe Long – US

Public Domain Image: Public Domain

Length of Sentence: 28 life sentences

One of Florida’s most notorious serial killers, Bobbie Joe Long received a sentence totaling 28 life sentences, a 99 year sentence, and a death sentence. His crime? The raping of more than 50 women and the killing of nearly half of them.

No. 2: Dudley Wayne Kyzer – US

Public Domain Image: Public Domain

Length of Sentence: 10,000 years

The longest prison sentence ever handed down in US history is attributed to Dudley Wayne Kyzer. In 1981, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, he was found guilty for the murder of his wife. What lead the judge to sentence him to 10,000 years in prison? Apparently, the court decided that the brutality, with which he had slaughtered his spouse, more than merited such a long sentence.

No. 1: Gabriel March Grandos – Spain

Public Domain Image: Public Domain

Length of Sentence: 384,912 years

The longest prison sentenced ever demanded by a court of law was given out in Spain, in 1972. Unlike other perpetrators on our list, who received sentences more befitting their crimes, the young Gabriel Grandos, age 22, was accused of fraud because of his failure to deliver a little over forty thousand letters. We understand that messing with the mail system is a serious offense, but a sentence amounting to nearly 400,000 years does seem a bit of an over-kill in this particular case.