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Barzee Pleads Guilty in Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping Case

By Joel Zand on November 17, 2009 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Wanda Barzee, a co-defendant in the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case, pleaded guilty to several criminal charges in federal court today in exchange for a reduced prison sentence recommendation and her cooperation with prosecutors in the kidnapping, sexual assault, and violence case when Smart was 14-years-old.

Instead of life in prison, Barzee will receive a 15-year (180-month) federal prison sentence, and plead guilty to Utah state kidnapping charges.

Here is what Barzee admitted to in U.S. District Court:

    • Planning Smart's kidnapping from her home with Brian David Mitchell'
    • Encouraging Mitchell to kidnap smart;
    • Aiding and abetting Mitchell "in the confinement, control, and sexual assault of Elizabeth Smart;
    • Aiding and abetting Mitchell in transporting Smart from Utah to California From October 2002, and from California back to Utah in March 2003, to force Smart to have sex with Mitchell.

You can view Barzee's guilty plea here:

Barzee pleaded guilty to Counts I and II of the federal indictment, which you can read here:

 

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