Samuel Bateman, a 50-year-old leader of a breakaway polygamous sect, has been sentenced to another 24 years in prison after being convicted of three counts of child abuse in Arizona. The state case arose from a 2022 traffic stop in Flagstaff, where authorities discovered three girls between the ages of 11 and 14 inside a poorly ventilated trailer.
Bateman was already serving a 50-year federal prison sentence for crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. The latest sentence will be served after his federal term, meaning he is expected to spend at least 74 years behind bars.
Girls Found Inside an Unventilated Trailer
The state case dates back to August 2022, when police stopped Bateman while he was driving through Flagstaff. Authorities found three young girls inside the enclosed trailer he was towing.
The trailer had a makeshift toilet, a sofa and camping chairs but did not have air conditioning or seat belts. Authorities had been alerted after someone noticed small fingers reaching through gaps in the trailer doors.
During the case, Bateman acknowledged that he knew the girls had spent hours inside the hot trailer and that ventilation was poor. However, he argued that he believed they had left the trailer when the vehicle stopped.
Bateman represented himself in court and maintained that he never intended to harm the girls. Prosecutors, however, argued that transporting children in such conditions on a hot day posed an obvious and serious danger.
Previous Federal Conviction and Sect Background
Bateman’s latest conviction adds to a 50-year federal sentence imposed after he admitted to conspiracy involving the kidnapping and transportation of a minor for criminal sexual activity. Federal authorities had accused him of coercing girls, some as young as nine, into sexual activity with him and other adults.
The self-proclaimed prophet had also claimed to have more than 20 “spiritual wives,” including 10 girls who were under 18.
Bateman developed a network connected to an offshoot of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and traveled between Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Nebraska. He had previously been associated with Warren Jeffs, the former leader of the sect who is serving a life sentence in Texas for sexual assault of children.
The polygamous community historically centered around Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah. Its influence in those communities has declined substantially in recent years.
Victims Speak About the Impact
During sentencing, one victim described the lasting psychological damage she experienced. She said Bateman had sexually exploited her when she was 12 and that she later needed therapy to deal with the consequences.
Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker said the latest sentence was intended to hold Bateman accountable and prevent him from having another opportunity to harm a child.
Bateman’s case has also received wider public attention through the Netflix documentary series Trust Me: The False Prophet, which examines his activities and the investigation that ultimately led to his arrest.
