By JACQUES BILLEAUD (Associated Press)
In Phoenix, a man confessed on Tuesday to working with the leader of a splinter polygamous group near the Arizona-Utah border to move underage girls across state borders, becoming the first man to be found guilty in what authorities describe as a plot to set up sexual acts with children.
Moroni Johnson, who could face 10 years to life in prison, admitted that he took part in a plan to transport four girls under 18 for sexual activities. Officials say the collaboration between 53-year-old Johnson and the group’s leader, self-proclaimed prophet Samuel Bateman, lasted three years until September 2022.
Bateman created an extensive network across at least four states as he attempted to establish a branch of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This church is historically based in the neighboring communities of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah. He and his followers practice polygamy, which is a remnant of the early teachings of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This practice was abandoned in 1890 and is now strictly prohibited. Bateman and his followers believe that polygamy brings exaltation in heaven.
The FBI stated that Bateman had taken more than 20 wives, including 10 girls under 18. Bateman is accused of gifting wives to his male followers and claiming to do so on orders from the 'Heavenly Father.' Investigators say Bateman traveled extensively between Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska and engaged in sexual activities with minor girls regularly. Some of the sexual activities involving Bateman were recorded and sent across state lines using electronic devices.
The FBI reported that Bateman demanded his followers make public confessions for any wrongdoings and shared these confessions widely. He claimed that the punishments, which ranged from a time out to public shaming and sexual activities, were ordered by the Lord. Authorities said Johnson was pressured by Bateman to give up three of his wives as an act of repentance because Johnson wasn’t treating Bateman as a prophet.
Bateman was arrested in August 2022 by state police in Flagstaff after someone saw small fingers in a door gap on an enclosed trailer. Officials discovered three girls – aged 11 to 14 – in the trailer, which had a makeshift toilet, a sofa, camping chairs, and no ventilation.
Bateman posted bail, but he was arrested again the following month and charged with interfering in a federal investigation into whether children were being transported across state lines for sexual activities.
At the time of the second arrest, officials removed nine children from Bateman’s home in Colorado City and placed them in foster care. Eight of the children later escaped from foster care. The FBI alleged that three of Bateman’s adult wives were involved in getting them out of Arizona. The girls were later found hundreds of miles away in Washington state in a vehicle driven by one of the adult wives.
Bateman has denied committing state and federal crimes such as planning to take a minor across state borders for sexual activity, planning to tamper with an official legal process, and planning to kidnap the girls who were put in the care of the state child welfare agency after he was arrested. Myles Schneider, a lawyer representing Bateman, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on behalf of his client.
Bateman was ordered to be held in jail until his trial is resolved, which is currently set for Sept. 10.
Earlier this year, four of Bateman’s adult wives each admitted guilt to a charge of plotting to tamper with an official legal process. They acknowledged witnessing Bateman engage in sexual acts with his young brides and taking part in the plan to abduct the eight girls from state custody.
Charges are also pending against four other women recognized as Bateman’s wives and two of his male followers. Both are accused of using interstate communication to pressure or force a minor to engage in sexual activity, along with other charges. The four women and two men have denied the charges.
