By Stacey Reed
SALT LAKE CITY - Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Ilene Barzee, were charged Tuesday with two counts each of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated burglary in the abduction of Elizabeth Smart and the attempted abduction of her cousin.
Five of the charges are first-degree felonies. Two of the six charges - aggravated burglary and second-degree attempted kidnapping - stem from an attempt to kidnap Elizabeth''s cousin on July 24, 2002.
Bail for Mitchell and Barzee is set at $10 million each.
Salt Lake District Attorney David Yocum discussed the charges at a press conference Tuesday morning.
Yocum was the first to release information regarding whether sexual abuse occurred during Elizabeth''s abduction.
'We do believe that these defendants, particularly Mitchell, should be prosecuted as a predatory sex offender,' Yocum said. 'If he ever hits the streets, (he should) carry that label as a sex offender for the rest of his life. We are not dealing with just a religious zealot. We are dealing with a predatory sex offender.'
Officials said Elizabeth was taken from her home by knifepoint June 5, 2002, and led up the mountain behind her home to a secluded campsite where she was held against her will.
In the Salt Lake County District Attorney Office''s charging documents, officials say Elizabeth told authorities Mitchell threatened to harm or kill her family if she did not submit to his instructions and restrained her with a cable at some point.
The documents also recount what happened the night of the abduction.
At the campsite, approximately four miles from Elizabeth''s home, Barzee attempted to remove Elizabeth''s pajamas, but Elizabeth resisted.
Barzee said Mitchell would do it by force if she didn''t, so Elizabeth complied and Mitchell attempted to sexually assault her, with Barzee''s help. The second assault charge stems from at least one other incident in the nine months she was missing.
Based on information included in the charging documents, Mitchell and Barzee held Elizabeth against her will from June 5, 2002, to March 12, 2003, and refused to allow her to leave or make any contact with people.
The documents report Barzee admitted to officials that she assisted and conspired with Mitchell to bring the victim to the camp and hold her against her will.
Family members are concerned with Elizabeth''s well being in having to relive the last nine months with her captors during the court hearing.
'They will hold the D.A.''s office accountable for any actions that might victimize her a second time,' said Chris Thomas, Smart family spokesman.
Yocum said according to attorney Larry Long, who used to represent Mitchell, Mitchell is planning to represent himself. He also said Mitchell considers the act of taking Elizabeth a 'call from God' to be a second wife.
'Whatever rationale Mitchell used to believe that she was his wife and loved him is grossly mistaken,' Thomas said. 'The definition of love is not degradation, humiliation, or robbing someone''s life of control and respect.'
The Associated Press contributed to this report.