Polygamous Sect Leader Facing Sentencing in Arizona for Child Abuse Convictions
Samuel Bateman, a polygamous sect leader already serving a 50-year federal sentence, is scheduled to be sentenced in Arizona for separate state convictions related to child abuse. He was convicted of three child abuse counts after three girls, aged 11…
Fort Myers Naples, FL, August 25, 2026 —
Samuel Bateman, a polygamous sect leader currently serving a 50-year federal prison sentence, is awaiting sentencing in Arizona for separate state convictions on child abuse charges.
Bateman was convicted on three counts of child abuse. The convictions stem from an incident where three underage girls, identified as being between the ages of 11 and 14, were discovered inside an unventilated trailer. This discovery occurred during a traffic stop in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Each of the three child abuse counts carries a mandatory sentencing range of four to eight years. The final decision on whether these sentences will be served consecutively or concurrently rests with the judge presiding over the state case. The date for Bateman’s sentencing in Arizona has not been provided.
Story summarized from the original created by AP on apnews.com, see more information here.
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