61°F
weather icon Clear
Las Vegas, NV
Nation and World

Self-styled prophet pleads guilty to child rape and abuse in Utah

Samuel Shaffer in Iron County, Utah, after a search near a remote compound turned up two girls taken by their father to join an upstart sect run by Shaffer that relatives say is based around polygamy and doomsday. (Iron County Sheriff's Office via AP)
More Stories
FILE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown (81) walks on the field during an NFL f ...
Former Raiders acquisition Antonio Brown arrested on attempted murder charge
President Donald Trump, left, shakes the hand of Novo Nordisk President and CEO Mike Doustdar d ...
Trump unveils deal to expand coverage and lower costs on obesity drugs
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum gives a morning press conference at the National Palace in ...
Mexico’s President Sheinbaum presses charges after street groping incident
Raiders minority owner and Fox football analyst Tom Brady talks at Allegiant Stadium on Monday, ...
Tom Brady reveals his dog is a clone of his late pet
The Associated Press
February 21, 2018 - 11:27 am
 

CEDAR CITY, Utah — A self-styled prophet accused of secretly marrying young girls because of his beliefs in polygamy and doomsday is pleading guilty to child rape and abuse charges after Utah police raided his group’s remote desert compound.

The Spectrum newspaper reports Samuel Shaffer faces at least 25 years in prison after agreeing to the Wednesday plea deal in Iron County, where prosecutors said he abused an 8-year-old girl related to a group member.

Prosecutors have said he and a friend called themselves Knights of the Crystal Blade and each believed himself married to two young girls.

The 34-year-old Shaffer also faces child bigamy and other charges in Sanpete County. Prosecutors say girls were abused there before the men left for the makeshift compound raided by police in December.

Shaffer’s attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

MOST READ
Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
President Donald Trump, left, shakes the hand of Novo Nordisk President and CEO Mike Doustdar d ...
Trump unveils deal to expand coverage and lower costs on obesity drugs
By Tom Murphy, Aamer Madhani and Jonel Aleccia Associated Press

President Donald Trump unveiled a deal Thursday with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to expand coverage and reduce prices for the popular obesity treatments Zepbound and Wegovy.

 
Zohran Mamdani captures New York City’s mayor’s race
By Anthony Izaguirre and Jill Colvin The Associated Press

Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City, capping a stunning ascent for the state lawmaker, who was set to become the city’s most liberal mayor in generations.

Diane Ladd at the 29th American Cinematheque Awards honoring Reese Witherspoon at the Hyatt Reg ...
Actress Diane Ladd, 3-time Oscar nominee, dies at 89
The Associated Press

A gifted comic and dramatic performer, she had a long career in television and on stage before breaking through as a film performer in Martin Scorsese’s 1974 release “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.”

MORE STORIES