A leader of a polygamous sect, already serving a 50-year federal prison term for facilitating sexual acts involving children, was sentenced to an additional 24 years in a state prison on Tuesday for child abuse convictions related to transporting young girls in a poorly ventilated trailer in Arizona. Samuel Bateman, 50, was found guilty of three counts of child abuse following a traffic stop in Flagstaff, Arizona, in August 2022, during which authorities discovered three girls aged 11 to 14 inside the trailer. The trailer lacked proper ventilation, air conditioning, and seat belts, with concerns raised after someone reported seeing small fingers reaching out through gaps in the doors.
Bateman’s group, which was an offshoot of the polygamous sect once led by Warren Jeffs, is now facing separate state convictions in addition to his ongoing federal sentence for coercing young girls into sexual acts and attempting to kidnap girls from protective custody. Judge Joshua Steinlage emphasized the extreme danger the girls faced in the trailer and ordered Bateman to serve the state sentence after completing his federal term. Despite representing himself in court, Bateman did not seek leniency during his sentencing.
Victims of Bateman urged the judge to reject his assertions of innocence and highlighted the lasting emotional trauma they endured. One victim, who was 14 at the time of the incident, shared the psychological distress she experienced after being sexually exploited by Bateman at the age of 12, stating that she needed therapy to recover from the traumatic experiences.
In the state case, Bateman admitted knowing that the girls were in the hot trailer for an extended period with poor ventilation but downplayed the severity of the conditions. He claimed to have been shocked to discover the girls still inside when he was stopped by authorities.
The sentencing was emphasized as a measure of accountability for the harm inflicted on the young victims, ensuring that Bateman would not pose a threat to children in the future. Bateman’s extensive travels across multiple states to expand his offshoot network of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were noted, with his involvement in polygamous practices stemming from the sect’s historical teachings.
The influence of the polygamous sect in the communities of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, has significantly diminished over time, with a court order in 2017 removing the church from local governance and law enforcement, leading to a transformation in the area. The towns were released from court supervision ahead of schedule, reflecting a decrease in the percentage of practicing sect members within the population.
Bateman’s story was featured in the Netflix series “Trust Me: The False Prophet,” shedding light on his role within the polygamous sect and the legal consequences he now faces for his actions.
