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A special prosecutor with the Criminal Justice Branch approved criminal charges against four individuals associated with Bountiful on Wednesday.
In a statement on Wednesday, the branch announced leader Winston Kaye Blackmore practised polygamy by way of marriage unions with 24 women. James Marion Oler, his rival leader in the same community ─ Bountiful has been split into competing factions for some time ─ is similarly charged for alleged polygamy with four women.
Oler is additionally alleged to have tried to remove a young girl from Canada in June 2004.
Two others, Brandon James Blackmore and Emily Ruth Gail Crossfield, are also alleged to have tried to remove a young girl from Canada.
Police had earlier alleged the community was transporting girls to and from Texas for marriage.
Special prosecutor Peter Wilson said evidence included information from U.S. investigations in Arizona, Texas and Utah.
“The polygamy charges that have been approved against Winston Kaye Blackmore and James Marion Oler are similar to the charges that these two individuals faced in 2009,” the branch said.
Agencies/Canadajournal
