Trial hears sect followers could foresee girls moved to U.S. for sexual purpose
CRANBROOK, B.C. — Three followers of a polygamous sect accused of taking girls across the border could have foreseen that sexual contact with older men would be a likely consequence of their actions, a special prosecutor told a British Columbia judge on Monday.
Peter Wilson delivered closing arguments at the B.C. Supreme Court trial for Brandon Blackmore, Gail Blackmore and James Oler, who are charged with removing girls from Canada for a sexual purpose.
Brandon and Gail Blackmore, who are separated as “celestial” husband and wife, each face a charge related to a 13-year-old girl who church records show in 2004 married Warren Jeffs, the now-imprisoned prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Records admitted into evidence at the trial show Jeffs told Brandon Blackmore the girl “belonged” to him.