US self-proclaimed prophet had 20 wives, including children and own daughter
Warning: This story deals with sexual abuse of children.
A self-proclaimed prophet in the United States allegedly had over 20 wives, including minors and his very own daughter, multiple US news outlets reported, citing the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The Washington Post reported that the FBI, in its affidavit, alleged Samuel Rappylee Bateman, 46, of counting girls under 15 and even his own daughter as among his wives.
Bateman—a leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a breakaway sect of the Mormon church—allegedly engaged in group sex acts with them.
The leader of the cult-like polygamist group also forced his followers to have sex. He also watched other men sexually abuse and assault girls as young as 12, according to the FBI.
Children cannot legally consent to have sex with adults.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that in an audio recording obtained by the FBI, Bateman allegedly said God had instructed him to “give the most precious thing he has, his girls’ virtue" to his male followers. He allegedly said the girls had “sacrificed their virtue for the Lord."
“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,” the FBI quoted Bateman as allegedly saying.
Bateman was also allegedly financed by male followers, who also gave up their own wives and children to him, according to the FBI.
The Post reported that Bateman was arrested in his hometown Colorado City in Arizona state last August when he was discovered towing a box trailer with three girls riding unsecured. He was eventually released.
While in custody, he allegedly asked his wives to delete his account on the messaging app Signal. He also tried to figure out how to do a factory reset on his phone, the Post reported.
Last September, the FBI raided Bateman's two homes, looking for evidence of underage marriages or sexual relationships between adults and children, according to the search warrant obtained by the Tribune. Officials also removed a number of underage girls there.
Bateman has been in jail since then. He is facing three counts of child abuse in relation to the trailer incident and is also facing separate charges of destroying records and obstructing justice.
There are no sexual abuse charges against Bateman at the moment. The FBI, however, said there's probable cause that he had engaged in criminal sexual activity with minors.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, call the PNP hotline 177, Aleng Pulis hotline at 0919-777-7377 or PNP Women and Children Protection Center anti-violence against women and children office at 8532-6690.
