An Arizona judge sentenced Samuel Bateman, 50, to an additional 24 years in state prison on Tuesday following his conviction on three counts of child abuse. The new sentence will be served after Bateman completes a separate 50-year federal prison term for child sexual abuse and kidnapping plots.
The state charges originated from a traffic stop in Flagstaff, Arizona, in August 2022. Law enforcement officers discovered three girls, aged 11 to 14, being transported in an unventilated trailer that contained a sofa and a makeshift toilet but lacked air conditioning and seat belts. Authorities were alerted to the vehicle after a witness reported seeing small fingers reaching through gaps in the trailer doors.
Bateman, a self-proclaimed prophet who led a polygamous sect offshoot, represented himself during the proceedings. He acknowledged the girls were in a hot trailer for hours but stated he believed they had exited the vehicle at a prior stop. He told the court he had "no intention in the entire world to harm" his followers. However, Judge Joshua Steinlage cited the "insane danger" the victims faced in the trailer when ordering the consecutive sentence.
The scale of the case involves dozens of individuals across multiple states, including Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska, where federal authorities say Bateman built his network. Bateman previously claimed to have more than 20 "spiritual wives," at least 10 of whom were under the age of 18. The day-to-day impact for the residents of the former sect strongholds of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, is a continuation of the shift away from church-dominated governance. These towns were recently released from court-ordered supervision last summer, two years ahead of schedule, as the practicing sect membership now represents only a small percentage of the local population.
The ruling sets a precedent for how state courts may stack penalties on top of existing federal sentences in cases involving child endangerment. Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker stated the sentence was intended to ensure Bateman could never harm a child again. With this sentencing complete, Bateman will remain in the custody of the prison system for the duration of his 50-year federal term before beginning the 24-year state term. No further trial dates were reported in the immediate aftermath of this sentencing.