Victim who was 'given to' Samuel Bateman when she was 14 says she was stripped of her identity, family relationships

"The defendant’s crimes... impacted an entire community and tore numerous families apart," federal officials said in a court document.

Associated Press/Decembr 4, 2024

By Haley Williams

Phoenix — Editor's note: The above video is from a previous 12News special on Bateman.

Polygamous self-proclaimed "prophet" Samuel Bateman rose to power in a fundamentalist group after the original leader, Warren Jeffs, was imprisoned. Bateman was installed as the "prophet" after Jeffs issued an edict voiding existing marriages and prohibiting new ones until he was released.

For Bateman's actions after being installed as a leader, including taking "child brides," he is facing a 30 to 50-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit transportation of a minor for criminal sexual activity and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney's Office filed a sentencing memorandum asking for the maximum possible sentence for Bateman.

"The only appropriate sentence here under the plea is 50 years’ imprisonment," the U.S. attorney said in the sentencing memorandum obtained by 12News. "The defendant’s crimes, along with those of a few key co-defendants in this case, impacted an entire community and tore numerous families apart. The defendant caused extreme physical and mental anguish to so many, particularly the 9 named victims. For that, a 50-year prison sentence is not only warranted, but necessary."

One victim, who was 14 when she was "given to" Bateman, wrote an impact statement explaining how Bateman harmed every part of her life.

"He stripped her of her identity—including her personality, dreams, and ambitions—and she lost her education, self-confidence, and many of her family relationships," court documents said. "These young victims will live with the memories and the trauma they suffered at the hands of the defendant and some of his co-defendants for the rest of their lives."

A 'prophet,' a predator

Authorities say Bateman had taken more than 20 wives, including 10 girls under the age of 18, and created a sprawling network spanning at least four states as he tried to start an offshoot of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which historically has been based in the neighboring communities of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah.

He and his followers practice polygamy, a legacy of the early teachings of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which abandoned the practice in 1890 and now strictly prohibits it. Bateman and his followers believe polygamy brings exaltation in heaven.

Bateman was arrested in August 2022 by Arizona state police in Flagstaff after someone spotted small fingers in a door gap on an enclosed trailer. Authorities found three girls — between the ages of 11 and 14 — in the trailer, which had a makeshift toilet, a sofa, camping chairs and no ventilation.

Bateman posted bond, but he was arrested again the next month and charged with obstructing justice in a federal investigation into whether children were being transported across state lines for sexual activity.

RELATED: 12News travels back to Colorado City, Ariz. formerly home to Warren Jeffs and his follower, Samuel Bateman

At the time of the second arrest, authorities removed nine children from Bateman’s home in Colorado City and placed them in foster care. Eight of the children later escaped, and the FBI alleged that three of Bateman’s adult wives played a part in getting them out of Arizona. The girls were later found hundreds of miles away in Washington state in a vehicle driven by one of the adult wives.

Bateman is accused of giving wives as gifts to his male followers and claiming to do so on orders from the “Heavenly Father.” Investigators say Bateman traveled extensively between Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Nebraska and had sex with minor girls on a regular basis. Some of the sexual activity involving Bateman was recorded and transmitted across state lines via electronic devices.

Bateman was charged with 53 counts related to child sex trafficking, conspiracy, kidnapping and obstruction of justice. He pled guilty on April 1 to conspiracy to commit transportation of a minor for criminal sexual activity and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. As part of the deal, the United States agreed to a 30 to 50-year sentence for Bateman.

He is not the first man to be convicted as part of the scheme. Businessman Moroni Johnson of Colorado City pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiring with Bateman to transport underage girls over state lines.

Four of Bateman’s wives also previously pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit tampering with an official proceeding, acknowledging that they witnessed Bateman engage in sexual acts with his child brides and that they participated in the plot to kidnap the eight girls from state custody.

The FBI said Bateman demanded that his followers confess publicly for any indiscretions and share those confessions widely. He claimed that punishments, which ranged from a time-out to public shaming and sexual activity, came from the Lord, the federal law enforcement agency said. Authorities say Bateman instructed some of his male followers to engage in sex with some of Bateman’s wives to atone for the men’s purported sins against the sect leader.

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