51-Felony Count Indictment: Polygamist Cult Leader Samuel Bateman Charged With Sexually Abusing Underage 'Wives'
May 30 2023, Published 1:25 p.m. ET
A caged polygamous cult leader was slammed with a 51-count indictment accusing him of sexually abusing underage girls ––– one as young as 9 years – claiming they were his wives, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Samuel Rappylee Bateman, 47, was handcuffed in September 2022 following a raid of his Arizona compound where the alleged pervy preacher claimed to be a “prophet” appointed by God to lead the Mormon-styled group that split from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Since 2019, Bateman amassed more than 20 wives – half of them under 18 – which he recruited as he shuttled between the states of Nebraska, Utah, Colorado, and Arizona visiting followers known as “Samuelites”.
“His intent was to engage in sexual activity with minor girls, and he did so on a regular basis,” according to a copy of the superseding indictment obtained by RadarOnline.com.
“As part of his recruitment efforts, defendant Bateman travelled alone and with his co-conspirators between Arizona and other states to visit and teach his potential followers,” the indictment reads.“Defendant Bateman claimed to have 'impressions of Heavenly Father’s will' to encourage his followers to submit to defendants Bateman’s will.”
“Defendant Bateman also convinced his followers and co-conspirators to give their children as wives, 10 of whom were under the age of 18.”
Incredibly, Bateman claimed to be the incarnation of Warren Jeffs – the notorious leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) who is serving life in prison, plus 20 years for sexually molesting children, committing incest and having numerous child brides.
Jeffs, the subject of the Netflix docuseries “Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey” had more than 20 wives, 60 children and is currently sitting in a Texas prison following his 2011 conviction.
Bateman, who used the same FLDS church name to carry out his dastardly deeds, was first spotted by suspicious residents of his home base – the small town of Colorado City, Arizona with the population 2,500 – who notified the state’s Department of Child Safety about the cult’s suspicious activity.
warren jeffs
The victims initially denied being controlled by Bateman until a man whose two daughters were hitched to him began cooperating with investigators.
According to the indictment, after impregnating the man’s adult daughter, Bateman then returned to take his 9-year-old because God gave her to him. Bateman told the father that he would be “blessed for his loyalty.”
The FBI raided his compound in Colorado City, about 40 miles south of Zion National Park in Utah, on September 13, 2022, searching for evidence of the child brides. Bateman was later indicted for destroying records in a federal investigation and tampering with an official proceeding.
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The new indictment, unsealed on May 18, 2023, alleges Bateman transported minors across state lines to engaged in criminal sexual activity, coercing minors to engage in Illicit sexual conducted and the production of child pornography inside of a Colorado hotel room.
The investigation also led to the indictment of six co-conspirators and followers who helped Bateman engage in criminal activity and threatening employees of the Arizona Department of Child Safety through cyberstalking, the documents show.
All the suspects remain in federal custody pending their arraignment.
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