A self-styled Utah prophet accused of secretly marrying young girls because of his beliefs in polygamy and doomsday will serve at least 26 years in prison after pleading guilty to child rape and abuse charges.
Samuel Shaffer was sentenced Tuesday in Iron County, where police raided a remote desert compound he and a friend built to house their upstart group called Knights of the Crystal Blade.
Shaffer was charged in December 2017 with abusing an 8-year-old girl related to a group member. Authorities say the two men who started the sect each secretly married two young girls.
The 34-year-old Shaffer also faces child bigamy and other charges in Sanpete County. Prosecutors say the abuse started there, before the group decamped to the desert compound.
Shaffer's attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
