Arizona Polygamist Cult Leader and Members Indicted for Child Sex Abuse
Samuel Bateman, a self-proclaimed Mormon "prophet" and successor to Warren Jeffs, has been charged with child sexual abuse, transporting minors for criminal sexual activity, and production of child pornography. Bateman allegedly raped girls as young as 9 years old and took 20 wives, half of them underage. He also "trained" his underage wives to take part in sexual acts in front of other followers and filmed "group sexual activity involving minors." Bateman's adult wives have been charged with kidnapping after they abducted nine girls, aged 11 to 16, who were in state custody following a raid on Bateman's home.