SALT LAKE CITY — When then-teenager Cynthia Dalton's father told her to have sex with his "right-hand man" — someone who was 17 years her senior — she said she tried to act like it never happened.

"I was really uncomfortable with it," she said. "I wasn't ready for anything like that. Here I was, 15 and still a virgin. I'm not even sure I knew what sex was."

The woman, now 21, recounted the events from September 2005 during a preliminary hearing Thursday for her father, Terrill Dalton, 44. Third District Judge William Barrett ordered him to stand trial on two counts of rape, a first-degree felony, after hearing testimony from both Terrill Dalton's daughter and his "right-hand man" Geody Harman, 37.

Daughter recounts history of allegations

Both Terrill Dalton and Harman were leaders of a small religious group called the Church of the Firstborn and the General Assembly of Heaven. Dalton calls himself the "Holy Ghost" while Harman was often referred to as "God in the flesh."

The group was based in Magna at the time of the alleged rape but later moved to Idaho and Montana, where the men were arrested. Cynthia Dalton said she was living in Magna with her father and stepmother when her father told her he had an impression about her future.

"He told me that I needed to have sex with Geody Harman and then the Lord would give me a great blessing," she testified.

The woman said she had been taught to do everything her father, the president of the church, told her to do and was lectured, reprimanded and sometimes beaten if she didn't obey.

"I didn't know what to believe," she said. "That church was everything I knew."

Cynthia Dalton — who has spoken publicly to the media about the alleged rape before Thursday's hearing — repeatedly said she felt "extreme pressure" from her father and others in the church to comply with his commands.

She ultimately had sexual intercourse with Harman and soon after, her father told her that she needed to have intercourse three times with him. She said it happened once and only because she was scared, "didn't know how to get out of it" and was hoping for the blessings she was promised.

"That God was going to help me out with my life, would make it a little bit easier," she said.

Not long after the incidents she left home, testifying she never received the blessings she was promised.

"My life just went downhill from there," Cynthia Dalton said calmly and matter-of-factly.

Harman testifies against Dalton

Harman, who was charged with rape, a first-degree felony, also took the stand on Thursday. In exchange for his testimony, he will be allowed to plead guilty to a reduced count of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, a third-degree felony, and will be released from custody pending trial.

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Sister of 'Holy Ghost' says sect leader raped her too

The leader of a small religious group, already facing charges for allegedly raping his teenage daughter in the name of God, is now being accused by his own sister.

Harman said he acted as a counselor to Terrill Dalton, but was the one who received the initial "impression" that he should "be intimate" with the man's daughter. He said he approached Dalton with the information and was told to go and pray.

"(Dalton) was the president and leader of the church," he said. "He was the only one given the seat of judgment. He was in charge."

When he returned to say he continued to have the impression, Dalton agreed and told him to "go take care of it." He said he and the then-teenager prayed before the act and that she seemed "completely calm, meek" until they reached the bedroom door.

"I said, 'Cynthia, do you really want to do this?' and she said no," Harman said. "Then I said, 'Do you want to do what God wants you to do?' and she nodded."

He said he had no knowledge of the incidents between the girl and her father until later when Dalton told him he'd found "some consolation in being intimate" with Cynthia.

Terrill Dalton proclaims innocence

Terrill Dalton's attorney, Rudy Bautista, said his client is "adamantly denying he's ever had sex with his daughter." He said Dalton remembered Harman coming to him and telling the man to pray about it, but said it ended there.

After the hearing, Bautista told reporters he questioned the motives of both Cynthia Dalton and Harman.

"We'll be investigating to see if the financial interests of Cynthia is motivating her," he said. "In regards to Mr. Harman, clearly he knows the allegations mean a lifetime in prison ... and in exchange for his testimony he's getting released from jail tomorrow."

Bautista said he believes the charges should be amended to third-degree felony charges of incest and unlawful sexual activity with a minor.

The accusations keep piling up against Dalton. Wednesday his sister, Linda Dalton, told KSL he raped her too.

An arraignment has been scheduled for May 20.

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Story written by Emiley Morgan with contributions from Andrew Adams.

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