Polygamist Sect Leader Gets 50-Year Prison Term for Child Sex Abuse

A polygamist religious leader has received a 50-year prison sentence for child sex abuse following a conviction in federal court. The sentence marks one of the most significant punishments handed down in recent years for crimes involving the alleged exploitation of minors within religious organizations. 

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing Details

Samuel Bateman, whose Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints group was an offshoot of the sect once led by convicted sex offender Warren Jeffs, entered guilty pleas in U.S. District Court in Phoenix to charges of conspiracy to transport a minor for sexual activity and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. The plea agreement, finalized in April 2024, recommended a sentence between 20 to 50 years in prison.

During last week’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Brnovich heard powerful victim impact statements from multiple survivors. Three teenage girls provided emotional testimony about their ongoing trauma. “This abuse has created a ripple effect that has touched everyone I know,” one minor stated in court.

The judge ultimately imposed the maximum recommended sentence of 50 years for each count, to be served concurrently. In delivering the sentence, Judge Brnovich addressed Bateman directly, stating “You took them from their homes, from their families and made them into sex slaves”.

Followers Plead Guilty to Child Sex Abuse Conspiracy

Nine of Bateman’s followers have also pleaded guilty to charges related to the child sex abuse conspiracy, while two others were convicted by a federal jury in Phoenix. The prosecution emphasized that Bateman “treated his child ‘brides’ like chattel and controlled every aspect of their lives.” Bateman’s sentencing effectively amounts to a life term for the 48-year-old defendant. Federal prosecutors had argued that given the severity of the crimes, “the only appropriate sentence” was the maximum 50-year term.

Timeline of the Investigation into Allegations of Child Sex Abuse

The investigation into the alleged child sex abuse began in August 2022, when law enforcement officers in Flagstaff, Arizona, responded to reports of small fingers visible through the slats of a trailer door. Inside, they discovered three girls aged 11 to 14 in an unventilated trailer with makeshift facilities. Following the initial discovery, investigators uncovered a complex network of alleged abuse.

Federal prosecutors revealed that Bateman had allegedly attempted to capitalize on a leadership void within the secretive religious group. Between 2019 and 2020, he began claiming adult women and girls from his male followers as “wives,” traveling across multiple states including Nebraska, Utah, and Colorado to collect additional “wives” and child “brides.”

Bateman’s Co-Conspirators and Accomplices

Multiple accomplices were involved in the alleged child sex abuse scheme, with nine followers pleading guilty to charges related to the conspiracy. Seven adult “wives” were also convicted of crimes involving the coercion of children into sexual activity and impeding the investigation.

Among the key accomplices, four of Bateman’s adult wives acknowledged witnessing him engage in sexual acts with child brides and participated in a plot to kidnap eight girls from state custody. Two Colorado City brothers were convicted of charges including interstate travel to persuade minors to engage in sexual activity.

Justice for Victims of Alleged Religious Sect Abuse

This landmark sentencing represents a significant step toward justice for survivors of alleged religious sect abuse. The 50-year prison term handed down to Samuel Bateman, along with multiple convictions of his accomplices, demonstrates the judicial system’s commitment to addressing crimes against minors within isolated religious communities.