A polygamous sect leader, Samuel Bateman, has been convicted on state child abuse charges in Arizona. Bateman is already serving a 50-year federal prison sentence for orchestrating sex involving children. The state conviction came after authorities found three girls, aged 11 to 14 at the time, inside a trailer Bateman was hauling through Flagstaff in August 2022.
Authorities were alerted to the trailer after someone observed small fingers reaching through gaps in the doors. Police stopped Bateman's vehicle and discovered the girls inside the enclosed trailer, which contained a makeshift toilet, a sofa, and camping chairs. Prosecutors argued it was common sense not to transport children in such conditions on a hot day without ventilation.
Bateman, who previously claimed to have more than 20 "spiritual wives," including underage girls, testified in his own defense. He told jurors he would never harm those he loves and acknowledged knowing the girls were in a hot trailer for hours, though he downplayed the conditions. He stated he trusted himself as a driver and asked God for blessings when traveling. Bateman also claimed he was shocked to learn the girls were still inside the trailer when he was pulled over, believing they had exited during a stop.
During the state trial, jurors were not supposed to be informed of Bateman's federal conviction. However, Bateman, who represented himself, mentioned it several times, leading the judge to strike those comments from the record. The jury deliberated for approximately 40 minutes before returning a guilty verdict on all three counts of child abuse. Each count carries a mandatory sentence ranging from four to eight years, with the judge to determine if the sentences will be served consecutively or concurrently. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 25.
Federal authorities identified Bateman as a self-proclaimed prophet who traveled extensively between Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska. He was instrumental in building an offshoot network of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bateman and his followers practiced polygamy, a tenet historically associated with early teachings of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which officially abandoned the practice in 1890. Bateman was a follower of Warren Jeffs, the former leader of the sect who is serving a life sentence for sexual assault of children.
The influence of the polygamous sect has diminished in communities historically associated with it. In 2017, a court order placed these towns under supervision, separating the church from their governance and police department. However, the area has since undergone significant changes, leading to the release from court-ordered supervision last summer, nearly two years ahead of schedule. It is now believed that practicing sect members constitute a small fraction of the local populations.