Samuel Rappylee Bateman: Sect Leader with 20 Wives Sentenced to 50 Years for Sexually Exploiting and Abusing Underage Girls

Phoenix, Arizona – Samuel Rappylee Bateman, the leader of a polygamist sect, was sentenced to 50 years in prison on Tuesday for sexually exploiting and abusing underage girls.

Bateman, who amassed 20 wives, including several minors, was convicted on charges of conspiracy to transport a minor for sexual activity and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. The sentences will run concurrently.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona indicted Bateman and 10 of his followers in May 2023 on charges including kidnapping, sexual exploitation of minors, and tampering with evidence.

Bateman’s crimes came to light in September 2022 when law enforcement discovered three underage girls, aged 11 to 14, living in a trailer attached to his car.

During the sentencing hearing, several of Bateman’s victims gave emotional testimonies detailing the profound trauma he inflicted upon them. One victim described the enduring pain and the struggle to trust others after the abuse. Another declared, “Sam, you have no power over me. I hope you feel the pain you caused me as you sit rotting in your cell.”

Judge Susan Brnovich condemned Bateman’s actions, stating, “You should not have the opportunity to be free and never have the opportunity to be around young women.” She further emphasized, “You took them from their homes, from their families and made them into sex slaves. You stripped them of their innocence and childhood.”

Bateman was a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), a polygamist sect that split from the mainstream Mormon church. This case highlights the ongoing dangers of polygamous sects and the importance of protecting children from abuse.