Polygamist Leader Faces 51 Felonies
Former FLDS Member Samuel Bateman Stands Accused of Sexually Abusing at Least 10 Minors
Samuel Bateman used to be to begin with arrested when police spotted the hands of kids protruding of the trailer he used to be hauling.
By Jennifer TisdaleMar. 22 2024, Published 7:04 p.m. ET
Samuel Bateman
(*51*)Report on-line or in-person sexual abuse of a kid or teenager via calling the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 or visiting childhelp.org. Learn extra in regards to the warning signs of child abuse at RAINN.org.
Short Creek Valley is made up of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, which is a beautiful position to be. Sadly, its surprising panorama is marred by means of a troubling history. This is where disgraced Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) leader Warren Jeffs was once discovered guilty of sexual assault of two minors which resulted in a existence sentence plus 20 years. It's also the place Samuel Bateman stepped up and tried to select up where Jeffs left off.
Residents of Colorado City suspected Bateman were marrying minors which ended in the Colorado City Marshal's Office launching an investigation in May 2021. "Child safety investigators were turned away from the compound," reported KPNX News, so no arrests had been made until August 2022. The FBI mentioned that while Bateman was once in custody, he used to be telling his better halves to "delete everything" from all virtual gadgets. This brought on an FBI raid in September 2022. Where is Samuel Bateman now? Here's what we know.
Samuel Bateman with a few of his fans
(*51*)Samuel Bateman is now in a personal Arizona prison anticipating trial.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Bateman is being held without bail in a private jail in Arizona. He has been charged with 51 felonies that come with but aren't restricted to conspiracy to move a minor for legal sexual job, interstate trip with intent to engage in illicit sexual habits with a minor and production of child pornography, and "counts accusing him of sexually abusing the underage girls he had claimed as his wives."
In 2019, Bateman started convincing former FLDS individuals to go back to the church and, specifically, the polygamy way of life. At its height, he had 50 followers who referred to themselves as Samuelites. It is believed that Bateman "claimed his first minor wife in May 2020" when she was once Nine years outdated, per the Salt Lake Tribune. He then spent the next two years traveling all over the place Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and Nebraska to be able to "collect child brides," the outlet reported. He eventually married 20 girls, 10 of whom had been minors.
The courtroom submitting additionally alleges that Bateman forced the ladies to interact in orgies, some of that have been "recorded or broadcast via video calls with other followers," in step with the opening. His preliminary arrest in August 2022 occurred when he used to be pulled over right through a visitors forestall after police noticed palms of a kid sticking out of the trailer Bateman was once hauling. Authorities found three little girls inside of. While Bateman was launched on bond, the FBI raided his compound and arrested him again.
Samuel Bateman is not the only one being charged.
While Bateman used to be in prison, the nine minors have been placed in homes by means of the Arizone DCS. In November 20222, 8 of the ladies were reported missing. "A few days later, law enforcement found them outside an Airbnb in Spokane, Wash., in a vehicle driven by Moretta Rose Johnson, who Bateman had claimed as a wife when she was under age 18, according to an affidavit," the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Two other wives, Naomi Bistline and Donnae Barlow, allegedly labored with Johnson to kidnap the ladies at Bateman's request. The 3 ladies have been arrested in December.
Seven more fans have been additionally arrested, some of whom were "charged with distributing obscene material," according to the opening. Josephine Barlow Bistline "faces federal charges for allegedly sending threatening emails to child welfare workers in a bid to get her two daughters released from state foster care," consistent with every other document in The Salt Lake Tribune.
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