Members of alleged doomsday group accused of kidnapping children, sodomy

Two members of an alleged doomsday group are accused of marrying each other's daughters and kidnapping them.

News station KUTV reports Utah man Samuel Shaffer told police that he was betrothed to John Coltharp's daughter and that Coltharp was betrothed to his daughter. Both of the girls are between the ages of 7 and 8.

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Sanpete County Deputy Attorney Kevin Daniels told the news station that the men also allegedly married their own 4-year old daughters. Daniels added that police did not have any evidence that the four-year-old girls were abused but were investigating the possibility.

Both men are charged with kidnapping. Coltharp is also charged with sodomy of a child for a sexual assault that reportedly occurred on Aug. 1, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. The Iron County Sheriff's Office said in a release that Shaffer faces two counts of kidnapping and four counts of child abuse.

According to the sheriff's office release, deputies found Shaffer walking around in an area of southwest Utah where they believed some of the abducted children were being kept. Shaffer was arrested and told police where two of the missing girls could be found.

Deputies say they found two girls inside two blue plastic 55-gallon water barrels, in which the children had allegedly spent about 24 hours in subfreezing temperatures. Once they were found, the girls were transported to area hospitals. Shaffer told police a few hours later where two other girls were hidden. Police said say they recovered the girls from an abandoned mobile home. The girls were reportedly in poor health with signs of dehydration.

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The sheriff's office said Shaffer and Coltharp are believed to be members of the Knights of the Crystal Blade, a religious group. The group released a statement on its website stating, "This group and website in no way, shape, or form, condone or tolerate child coupling, child marriages, arranged marriages, neglect, abduction or abuse."

Will Axford is a digital reporter for Chron.com. Read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter.