US polygamist religious leader jailed for sexual crimes against minors

A polygamist religious leader who claimed more than 20 spiritual wives including 10 underage girls faces decades in prison at his sentencing on Monday for coercing girls as young as 9 years old to submit to criminal sex acts with him and other adults.

Samuel Bateman, whose small group was an offshoot of the sect once led by Warren Jeffs, has pleaded guilty to a years-long scheme to transport girls across state lines for his sex crimes, and later to kidnap some of them from protective custody. His plea agreement called for 20 to 50 years in prison, though each conviction carries a possible life sentence.

 

But first, a federal judge will hear from a doctor who evaluated Bateman's competency. The question could determine whether the sentencing goes forward or Bateman is remanded to state custody for psychiatric treatment until he's deemed mentally fit to assist in his defence, his attorney Brian Russo said.

Authorities say that Bateman, 48, tried to start an offshoot of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints based in the neighbouring communities of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah. The fundamentalist group, also known as FLDS, split from the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after Mormons officially abandoned polygamy in 1890.

The alleged practice of sect members sexually abusing girls who they claim as spiritual wives has long plagued the FLDS. Jeffs was convicted of state charges in Texas in 2011 involving sexual assaults of his underage followers. Bateman was one of Jeffs' trusted followers and declared himself, like Jeffs, to be a prophet of the FLDS. Jeffs denounced Bateman in a written revelation sent to his followers from prison, and then tried to start his own group.

In 2019 and 2020, insisting that polygamy brings exaltation in heaven and that he was acting on orders from the Heavenly Father, Bateman began taking female adults and children from his male followers and proclaiming them to be his wives, the plea agreement said. While none of these marriages were legally or ceremonially recognised, Bateman acknowledged that each time he claimed another wife, it marked the beginning of his illicit sexual contact with the woman or girl.

Federal agents said Bateman demanded that his followers confess publicly for any indiscretions and he imposed punishments that ranged from public shaming to sexual activity, including requiring that some male followers atone for their sins by surrendering their own wives and daughters to him.

Bateman travelled extensively between Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Nebraska and regularly coerced underage girls into his criminal sexual activity, the US Attorney's Office in Arizona said. Recordings of some of his sex crimes were transmitted across state lines via electronic devices.

Bateman was arrested in August 2022 by state police as he drove through Flagstaff pulling a trailer. Someone had alerted authorities after spotting small fingers reaching through the slats of the door. Inside the trailer, which had no ventilation, they found a makeshift toilet, a sofa, camping chairs and three girls, 11 to 14 years old.

Bateman posted bond but was soon arrested again, accused of obstructing justice in a federal investigation into whether children were being transported across state lines for his sex crimes. Authorities also took nine children from Bateman's home in Colorado City into protective custody.

Eight of the children later escaped from foster care in Arizona, and were found hundreds of miles away in Washington state, in a vehicle driven by one of the adult wives. Bateman also admitted his involvement in the kidnapping plot.

Federal prosecutors noted that Bateman's plea agreement was contingent on all of his co-defendants also pleading guilty. It also called for restitution of as much as USD 1 million per victim, and for all assets to be immediately forfeited.

Seven of Bateman's adult wives have been convicted of crimes related to coercing children into sexual activity or impeding the investigation into Bateman. Some acknowledged they also coerced girls to become Bateman's spiritual wives, witnessed Bateman having criminal sexual activity with girls, participated in illicit group sex involving children, or joined in kidnapping them from foster care. Another woman is scheduled to be tried January 14 on charges related to the kidnappings.

Two Colorado City brothers also face 10 years to life at their sentencings, on December 16 and December 20, after being convicted in October of charges including interstate travel to persuade or coerce a child to engage in sexual activity. Authorities say one bought Bateman two Bentley automobiles, while the other bought him a Range Rover.

In court records, lawyers for some of Bateman's wives painted a bleak picture of their clients' religious upbringings.

One said his client was raised in a religious cult that taught sexual activity with children was acceptable and that she was duped into marrying Bateman. Another said her client was given to Bateman by another man as if she were a piece of property, feeling she had no choice, and was manipulated by Bateman into doing things she wouldn't otherwise do.