Man Who Claimed He Was a ‘Prophet’ Had 20 Wives, Married His Own Daughter

An Arizona cult leader has been accused of marrying up to 20 women, including his own daughter, according to a recent report from the FBI.

Samuel Rappylee Bateman, 46, was married to multiple minors in that group of 20 as well. He was the leader of a very small branch of polygamist Mormons known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS).

Bateman allegedly took control of the FLDS group of about 50 in 2019. He immediately declared himself a prophet upon doing so, per the Salt Lake Tribune. Once ceasing control of the group, Bateman led multiple acts of sexual deviance, including pedophilic group sex and even sex trafficking, the FBI alleged.

Of those acts, Bateman allegedly said of the young girls involved, “God will fix their bodies and put the membrane back in their body. I’ve never had more confidence in doing his will. It’s all out of love.”

His arrest came in September when police discovered him attempting to drive young girls across state lines in what was described as a rundown SUV. A trooper made the stop after seeing what was reported as “children’s small fingers moving in the gap of the rear trailer door.”

Samuel Rappylee Bateman

A trailer was attached to the SUV, and in the SUV were reportedly two women and two girls under the age of 15. Three girls between the ages of 11 and 14 were in the trailer, per local reports.

Bateman was arrested, but quickly posted bail and was released.

“However, he was soon arrested once again by federal agents who charged him with three counts of destroying records after he instructed followers to delete communications sent through an encrypted private messaging system and demanded all women and girls obtain passports,” Metro reported.

Following the latest arrest, Bateman was ordered by a judge to remain behind bars until the case makes its way through the court.

If the allegations prove to be true, he’ll most definitely be there a lot longer.

“Bateman’s group were originally an offshoot of the FLDS, a larger group run by Warren Jeffs, another convicted paedophile currently serving a prison sentence in Texas for sexually abusing two girls,” Metro wrote.

Frighteningly, police found a post-it note with a telling message upon raiding Bateman’s compound.

“Samuel Rappylee Bateman,” the note read, “I am here to do your will.”

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