False Prophet: Where Samuel Bateman, His “Wives” & More Are Now

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In 2016, Christine Marie relocated to Colorado City, Arizona, hoping to support members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, she recalls being informed that they preferred to manage things themselves and didn’t require assistance from people outside their community.

As Marie recounts in the Netflix documentary Trust Me: The False Prophet, they actually went through with it. She emphatically states, “Yes, they really did.”

The disturbing four-part series reveals that the abuse of young girls within the FLDS church continued even after the 2011 imprisonment of its leader, Warren Jeffs. He received a life sentence for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old he considered a “spiritual bride,” and an additional 20 years for assaulting a 15-year-old.

It just…it breaks my heart. I used to follow Jeffs so closely, believing everything he said. And now…now I find out that not only was he a monster, but so many of his followers, people like Samuel Rappylee Bateman – he actually declared himself a prophet, can you believe it? – are now in prison for being part of this horrific child abuse ring. It’s just… devastating. I can’t even process it. It feels like everything I thought I knew was a lie, and these people…they were actively hurting children. It’s sickening.

The Netflix series follows Marie—a woman who used to be a devout Mormon but later became disillusioned by a deceptive religious leader—and her husband, Tolga Katas, a video producer. They were granted access by Bateman to film his group, as he believed it would help him share his teachings with a wider audience beyond his secluded followers.

Instead, it was the beginning of the end for Bateman’s rein.

Federal prosecutors said the 50-year-old man had over 20 wives throughout the years, including 10 who were underage. In December 2024, he received a 50-year prison sentence after admitting guilt to charges related to transporting and kidnapping a minor for sexual exploitation. He pleaded guilty to these charges, and other accusations were dismissed as part of the agreement.

As a longtime observer of this case, it was heartbreaking to hear Judge Brnovich address Bateman during sentencing. She spoke directly to the immense harm he caused, explaining how he ripped young girls from their families and homes, and subjected them to horrific sexual abuse. She didn’t mince words, stating plainly that he repeatedly raped them. It was a truly devastating moment, and it underscored the gravity of his crimes.

And yet Bateman’s following remains largely intact, according to The False Prophet.

According to series director Rachel Dretzin, most of the adults shown in the film still follow Sam Bateman. While all the young people featured in the documentary have moved on from Bateman – what they call ‘waking up’ – many of their parents remain followers.

Dretzin notes that Bateman remains in daily communication with his wives while incarcerated, a situation that paradoxically gives him continued influence by positioning him as a kind of martyr.

So, how was Bateman finally caught? And what became of the women who have since distanced themselves from him and his followers? Here’s a breakdown of what happened.

In 2019, a man named Bateman, who used to work in real estate and as a motivational speaker, started his own religious group, similar to the FLDS. Prosecutors say he quickly gathered 22 wives, and shockingly, 10 of them were children when they entered into these relationships.

In August 2022, roughly two years after initial questioning regarding allegations involving a child bride, Bateman was arrested in Flagstaff, Arizona. State troopers stopped him and discovered three girls, ages 11 to 14, inside a box trailer he was pulling that didn’t have any ventilation. According to the Associated Press, someone noticed small hands reaching out from a crack in the trailer door, leading to the discovery.

Bateman was initially released on bail, but was arrested again the next month and formally accused of destroying evidence to obstruct a federal investigation. When authorities took action, nine children were removed from his home in Colorado City, Arizona, and placed into the state’s foster care system.

Prosecutors stated that Bateman then asked three of his wives to help move eight girls—who he also considered wives—out of reach of social services.

Bateman faced additional charges in two later indictments, including kidnapping, conspiring to take a minor across state lines for sexual abuse, creating child pornography, and attempting to influence witnesses.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following this case closely, and it’s heartbreaking. In April of this year, Bateman admitted guilt to two serious federal crimes: conspiring to transport a minor for the purpose of sexual abuse and conspiring to kidnap. Thankfully, as part of a plea agreement, other charges he was facing have been dismissed. It’s a complex situation, and I hope this brings some measure of justice for everyone involved.

Oh my god, I just read the sentencing memo! Apparently, Bateman’s lawyer, Brian F. Russo, is arguing for a maximum of 20 years. But get this – a psychiatrist who evaluated him actually said he’s mentally ill and delusional! I knew it! I knew there was something seriously wrong with him, and now it’s officially documented. The New York Times got a hold of the memo, so everyone’s going to know! It’s all there in black and white!

In a court filing, prosecutors argued that Bateman treated his victims as if they were property and described the consequences of his actions as devastating.

U.S. District Judge Susan Brnovich sentenced Bateman to 50 years in prison, describing him as a uniquely terrible abuser.

Julia Johnson‘s husband handed four of their daughters over to Bateman to take as brides.

Julia struggled immensely and felt lost, according to Christine Marie, who documented members of the FLDS church and whose work inspired the Netflix series Trust Me: The False Prophet. Marie said Julia was often in tears and experiencing emotional crises.

In the series, Julia began sharing details about Bateman with Marie in 2022. At one point, she warns her husband, “We’re being misled by someone dangerous, and I won’t let it destroy us.”

Series director Rachel Dretzin described Julia as the film’s heroine, explaining that it was incredibly brave for a woman of her age to oppose her husband and seek assistance, knowing the potential consequences.

I still can’t believe it. My Moroni… he pleaded guilty. It came out in 2024 that he was part of something awful – helping those poor girls travel across state lines for… for that. Twenty-five years. Twenty-five years! It’s just… devastating. And to make things even worse, I heard he and Julia broke up. Everything’s just completely fallen apart. I keep replaying everything in my head, trying to understand how someone I thought I knew could be involved in something so terrible. It’s heartbreaking, honestly.

Julia’s daughter, Moretta, helped plan the scheme to remove Bateman’s young wives from foster care. Her father had arranged for her to marry Bateman when she was still a teenager. Arrested in 2022 at age 19, Moretta admitted to helping hide a crime and, in February 2025, received a sentence equivalent to the time she had already served in jail.

I’ve always believed she deserved to be seen as a victim from the very beginning. Her lawyer, Daniel Wallin, said it back then to the Arizona Republic – she was so young when this all happened, and that really stuck with me.

In her book, The False Prophet, Julia explained that Moretta’s imprisonment allowed her to think independently and ultimately leave the FLDS community.

Moretta has since married and started her own family.

Nomz was first connected to the group by her guardian, LaDell Jay Bistline. He is currently in prison for life due to receiving child pornography and his involvement in the sexual abuse committed by Bateman.

She admitted guilt to interfering with legal processes related to the kidnapping and received a sentence equivalent to the time she’d already spent in jail, along with a period of supervised release. Since then, she has left the FLDS group and no longer communicates with Bateman.

Nomz shared with Tudum that prison was a deeply contradictory experience – both the best and worst thing to ever happen to them. While it was another challenge they had to overcome, they believe it was necessary for their growth, ultimately forcing them to learn to think independently.

After Spokane, Washington police rescued the eight kidnapped girls, they were each placed in separate foster homes.

According to Dretzin, all the children involved have spoken out against Bateman because they were placed in foster care after being removed from the community and separated from their other sibling wives. Being outside of that environment allowed them to understand what had happened and share their experiences.

Bateman’s teen victims were in court when he was sentenced, according to the AP.

Oh my gosh, I was SO relieved to hear Faith Bistline, who’s connected to those poor girls found with Bateman, speak on AZFamily! She said things are… well, they’re different for each girl, naturally, but mostly they’re doing okay! They’re back in school, which is amazing, and honestly, the best part? They’ve all realized Sam Bateman is not who they thought he was. They’re done with him and ready to just live their own lives now. It just makes me so happy for them, you know?

In April 2025, following the sentencing of her relative, Torrance Bistline, to 35 years in prison for his involvement in Bateman’s child sex abuse ring, she explained that the victims were robbed of a normal childhood. She said they were focused on typical teenage questions – like what they wanted to be when they grew up and exploring their futures – things they were unable to experience while being abused.

Marie and her husband, Katas, continue to live in Short Creek, Utah, and work alongside members of the FLDS community after filming the material used in the documentary, The False Prophet.

Marie explained to Tudum that it felt incredibly good to help protect those women and girls. She believes even those who still support Bateman are much safer now that he’s no longer able to harm anyone. Knowing he couldn’t hurt another woman brought her a sense of peace and closure.

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2026-04-14 04:18