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Church of Firstborn president faces trial for teen's rape

The Salt Lake Tribune/April 14, 2011

By Stephen Hunt

Rather than be "kicked out of the Kingdom of Heaven," 37-year-old Geody Harman had sex with a 15-year-old girl, he testified Thursday at a 3rd District Court preliminary hearing.

Harman also testified that 44-year-old Terrill Dalton - the president of the Church of the Firstborn of the General Assembly of Heaven - admitted having sex with the same girl "multiple times" when she was 16 years old.

The alleged victim, now 21, testified she had sex with each man one time between September 2005 and January 2006 when the polygamous sect was based in Magna.

She said Dalton had promised "the Lord would give me a great blessing if I fulfilled the commandment" of having sex with Harman, who was first counselor of the church.

When she had sex with Dalton several months later, he again promised her a blessing from God, she said.

The Tribune generally does not name sexual assault victims, and therefore is not naming the alleged victim.

At the end of Thursday's hearing, Judge William Barrett ordered Dalton to stand trial on two counts of first-degree felony rape - one count for his own alleged acts with the girl, the other for allegedly encouraging Harman to rape the girl.

Harman, who was charged with one count of rape, is expected to plead guilty Friday to a lesser third-degree felony count of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Harman would then be granted supervised release from jail while waiting to be sentenced.

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