Estimated duration: 3-4 minutes
CITY OF COLORADO, Arizona — Now facing federal indictment for kidnapping eight underage girls, polygamous leaders in Colorado city use prison phones to obstruct justice Not only was he accused of being involved, but communication is restricted while in custody. Sexually explicit conversations with underage girls.
Samuel Rappery Bateman, 46, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 6 for destruction of record in official process, tampering with official process, and destruction of record in federal investigation. Alternate indictments on December 14 included additional charges of tampering with official process, conspiracy to tamper with official process, kidnapping, and conspiracy to kidnap.
Three women — Donne Barlow, 24, Moretta Rose Johnson, 19, and Naomi Vistline, age unknown — were also indicted in December by federal prosecutors on obstruction and kidnapping charges in connection with the Bateman case. I was.
Documents released in federal court earlier this month outline what Bateman was allegedly doing while imprisoned in Arizona after his arrest.
Bateman is a “self-proclaimed prophet” of the fundamentalist LDS church, federal prosecutors said in court records. “He has about 50 followers and more than 20 wives, nine of whom are currently minors between the ages of 12 and 16. It is said to have an “impression of Heavenly Father’s will” that encourages engagement. And he will carry out his will, which he relies upon in his obedience. ”
Investigators believe Bateman facilitated the transfer of girls across state lines to engage in sexual activity beginning around May 2020.
On August 28, Bateman was arrested after Arizona Department of Public Safety officials said he was towing a box trailer containing three girls. He was indicted on his 3 counts of child abuse by a Coconino County grand jury on his Sept. 1.
After Bateman’s arrest, nine girls “all believed to be Bateman’s wives” were detained by the Arizona Department of Child Services on Sept. 14, court documents say. But while incarcerated, Bateman allegedly managed to get his eight children out of state custody while working with his three adult wives while using the prison’s video calling system. The girls were found by police in Spokane, Washington on December 1st.
Additionally, prosecutors said in November, while still in custody, Bateman “had a brazen sexual conversation” with two girls, ages 13 and 16, using the prison’s call system. During that time, he claimed to be his wife, court documents allege.
According to the documents, “Bateman instructed some of his wives to send threatening messages to government witnesses on the same day that he made sexual comments (to the girls).” asked one of his wives to send (to the witnesses) a verse from Doctrine and Covenants 121. The verse reads: saith the Lord of hosts, generations will not escape the punishment of hell.”
He also asked his wives to testify that they had “chosen the wrong religion to hate” and that they had “already formed cancer in their bodies,” according to court documents. instructed to
On November 29, all of Bateman’s in-prison communication privileges were suspended. He was only allowed to call his lawyer.
Then, on March 17, federal prosecutors and Bateman’s lawyers reached an agreement for video visits and communications.
Bateman is now allowed to call his four sons. According to the regulations, he can make video calls with six of his women, but only one at a time and only at the specified date and time. He is also allowed to send letters, but only if they are checked by prison staff and “provided that the sender and recipient of the mail are clearly identified and the message has not been passed on to others.” “Limited,” court documents stated.
