The FBI said that a man in Arizona made 20 women his wives.
He is accused of child abuse.
According to an affidavit, the FBI believes he is a sex trafficker.
According to the FBI, a man in Arizona took a total of 20 women, including several girls.
The allegations against Samuel Rappylee Bateman were described in an FBI affidavit.
He was described as a cult leader who had 50 followers and over 20 wives, many of whom are minor.
The document was reported by The Salt Lake Tribune. Insider saw a copy.
Polygamy is not legal in the US. In Arizona, marrying under the age of 16 is against the law.
In 2020, he began his relationships with children and the wives of some of his followers.
The document said that one of the girls was nine years old when she was with Bateman.
The affidavit states that he organized group sex acts with them.
According to the affidavit, the FBI has probable cause to believe that the people wereTrafficned to engage in criminal sexual activity and travel in interstate commerce to engage in sex with children.
According to the Tribune, he is in jail on accusations of child abuse.
The Tribune reported that in the FBI's investigation, agents took eight girls from their homes in Colorado City, Arizona, and placed them in state custody.
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as the FLDS, is a splinter group of the Mormon church.
Polygamy is grounds for excommunication according to the mainstream Mormon Church.
In November 2020, a woman accused him of kidnapping her children, according to the affidavit. According to the document, the parents said they didn't object to their children being with the man.
The Tribune asked the attorney for comment, but he didn't reply and the email that was sent to him didn't come back.
The year one of the girls was born was incorrect due to an editing error. The affidavit states that it was in 2011.
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