Friday, August 17, 2018

UPDATED::2 Missing Girls Found In Utah; Self-Proclaimed ‘Prophet’ In Custody « CBS Denver

UPDATE::  Self-styled prophet who promoted child marriage is sentenced
A self-styled prophet who helped lead a Utah doomsday cult that believed in polygamy and promoted child marriage remained defiant Wednesday as he was sent to prison for at least 25 years.

John Coltharp, 35, told a judge he was following "heavenly laws" and was an Old Testament figure returned to Earth to promote child marriage, the Deseret News reported
He maintained that it doesn't matter how long he goes to prison because society won't last much longer.
UPDATE::  Doomsday cult leader who said child marriage is 'correct principle from God' sentenced to 15 years
A previously convicted doomsday cult leader who hoped to grow old with an 8-year-old girl and believed child marriage to be a “correct principle from God” was sentenced to at least 15 years in prison on Wednesday.

Samuel Shaffer pleaded guilty in a Utah courtroom to one felony count of child sodomy, according to the Deseret News. Other charges were dropped, including bigamy and lewdness involving a child.

Shaffer said during the hearing in Manti that he hoped to have a family with the little girl.


“I sincerely believed that child marriage was a correct principle from God,” he said, according to the Deseret News. “And I've seen the consequences of what's happened, and I know that I shouldn't have done it now. But I sincerely believed that the practice was correct at the time.”

He had been sentenced last month to at least 26 years in prison after pleading guilty to child rape and abuse charges. The new sentence won't extend his time behind bars.
UPDATE::  Doomsday cult leader in central Utah pleads guilty to child bigamy, sodomy charges
The leader of a doomsday cult in central Utah has struck a plea deal with prosecutors.

John Alvin Coltharp, 34, pleaded guilty to felony charges of child bigamy and sodomy. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed charges of kidnapping and obstruction of justice.

"I plead guilty," Coltharp told the judge to both charges, later adding: "The fact is I did act contrary to those statutes that I am charged with violating. So yes, I’m guilty of violating both of those. That is a fact."
UPDATE:: Member of Utah polygamous doomsday cult sentenced to 26-to-life in prison
Samuel Shaffer was ordered to spend 25 years-to-life in prison for the first-degree felony rape charge and another one-to-15 years in prison for abuse. Fifth District Court Judge Matthew Bell ordered him to serve the sentences consecutively.

"I want to be clear you are not being sentenced based on religious views, you are being sentenced based on criminal conduct which is highly disturbing," Judge Bell told him.

Shaffer was known as "the seer" in the apocalyptic group "Knights of the Crystal Blade." He and his co-defendant, John Coltharp, are accused of kidnapping children. After he was arrested, Shaffer told police in Iron County he was "betrothed" to Coltharp's 8-year-old daughter. Shaffer also told police Coltharp was married to his 7-year-old daughter.
UPDATE::  Leader of self-proclaimed religious group refuses plea bargain
John Coltharp will not accept a plea offer.
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Wednesday, Coltharp appeared in Sanpete County hours after Shaffer pleaded guilty to related crimes in Iron County.  The county attorney in Sanpete said Coltharp was aware of Shaffer’s admission of guilt.

But during Wednesday hearing, the judge was made aware of a plea offer for Coltharp.

He told the judge he refused the deal.
UPDATE::  Former cult leader pleads guilty to child rape
A former cult leader accused of taking a child bride pleaded guilty to child rape and child abuse.

Samuel Warren Shaffer appeared in court Wednesday. He faces 25 years to life in prison for child rape and 15 years for child abuse.

"Well, I think this is a great outcome for the State of Utah, for the victims in this case. It's the maximum sentence allowed under law for this offense," said Iron County Attorney Scott Garrett.
UPDATE:: New charge filed against alleged doomsday sect member
A Sanpete County man who, along with the alleged leader of a doomsday sect, was charged last month with kidnapping now faces allegations of abusing a child.

John Alvin Coltharp, 34, of Spring City, was charged Monday in 6th District Court with sodomy, a first-degree felony. Coltharp is already charged with child kidnapping, a first-degree felony, and obstructing justice by concealing a person, a class A misdemeanor.

Coltharp was originally charged along with Samuel Warren Shaffer, 34, of Cedar City, who faces two counts of child kidnapping, a first-degree felony, and four counts of intentional child abuse causing injury, a second-degree felony.
Two young sisters who were believed to be with a religious sect leader in Utah have been found and are safe.

The girls, 4-year-old Hatti and 8-year-old Dina, were found alone in a building outside the town of Lund on Monday night.

Their grandfather, Steve Sobel, confirmed the news to CBS4 later that night. He said the girls were found in a “storage receptacle.”

2 Missing Girls Found In Utah; Self-Proclaimed ‘Prophet’ In Custody « CBS Denver

See also:: Girls are found after Amber Alert issued in Utah; their father, a member of a group called Knights of the Crystal Blade, is linked to their disappearance

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