Polygamous Sect Leader Guilty of Abuse After Girls Discovered in Trailer

WHO:

NY Post - Samuel Bateman, a polygamous sect leader.

ABC News - Bateman is a self-proclaimed prophet and a trusted follower of Warren Jeffs, who is serving a life sentence for sexual assault of children.

WHAT:

NY Post - Bateman was found guilty of child abuse charges.

ABC News - Bateman was already serving a 50-year federal prison sentence for orchestrating sex involving children.

ABC News - Three girls, ages 11 to 14, were found inside an unventilated trailer he was hauling.

ABC News - The jury convicted Bateman on all three counts of child abuse in about 40 minutes.

ABC News - Each count carries a mandatory sentence of between four and eight years.

WHERE:

NY Post - The incident occurred on an Arizona highway, specifically in Flagstaff.

ABC News - Bateman traveled extensively between Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska.

WHEN:

ABC News - The girls were discovered in August 2022.

ABC News - A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 25.

WHY:

ABC News - Authorities were alerted about the trailer after someone saw small fingers reaching through gaps in the doors.

HOW:

ABC News - Bateman was stopped by police while driving through Flagstaff.

ABC News - The trailer was described as having a makeshift toilet, a sofa, and camping chairs, and was not ventilated.

(UPDATED June 27, 2026 07:53 UTC)

Samuel Bateman, a polygamous sect leader and self-proclaimed prophet, has been found guilty of child abuse charges after a jury took just 40 minutes to convict him on all counts. Bateman, who was already serving a 50-year federal prison sentence for orchestrating child sex crimes, was stopped by police in Flagstaff, Arizona, where three girls aged 11 to 14 were discovered inside an unventilated trailer he was hauling. Authorities were alerted to the situation after someone noticed small fingers reaching through gaps in the trailer doors, and a sentencing hearing for Bateman is scheduled for August 25.