Report: Polygamist cult leader had 20 wives, including minors and his own daughter

A recent FBI affidavit has revealed the disturbing accusations against Samuel Rappylee Bateman, 46, an Arizona polygamist cult leader who allegedly had 20 wives, some of whom were as young as nine.

Bateman also allegedly married his own daughter and transported his so-called “wives” in a trailer that had a bucket for a toilet. He was arrested in Arizona earlier this year. The findings were first reported by The Salt Lake Tribune.

Bateman has been in federal custody on obstruction charges since being arrested in September.

According to the Tribune, Bateman led a group of the Mormon Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). The former FLDS leader, Warren Jeffs, was previously found guilty of sexual assault on a child.

The FBI affidavit, which was filed in the Eastern District of Washington, details the allegations which include incest, group sex acts involving adults and underage children, and child sex trafficking.

The Tribune reported that Bateman “began to proclaim he was a prophet” in 2019. Most of his “wives” were daughters, sisters and mothers from two other polygamous families, the Tribune reported.

According to the filings, in Nov. 2021, Bateman gave his daughters to three of his male followers and watched as they had sex with them. One of the daughters was 12 years old as the time, the affidavit reportedly said.

The affidavit also states that near the end of 2020, Bateman drove to a Colorado City couple’s home “in a large SUV packed with women and girls,” where he “introduced everyone as his wives.”

Among his many “wives,” one was born in 2011 – meaning the girl would have been around nine years old at the time.