Prosecutors widen case in opposition to polygamous group chief, including little one pornography expenses

Prosecutors have widened their case in opposition to the chief of a small polygamous group that resides close to the Utah-Arizona border, including little one pornography expenses and detailing his sexual encounters with youngsters he took as wives in new expenses filed earlier this month.

Sam Bateman is accused of creating little one pornography in a superseding indictment filed lately. The Could 18 doc additionally supplies new particulars about how he took wives as younger as 9 years outdated as he labored to win followers in at the very least 4 states to start out his personal small offshoot group of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

The FLDS is itself a breakaway sect of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, broadly generally known as the Mormon Church. Polygamy is a legacy of the early teachings of the mainstream church, but it surely deserted the follow in 1890 and now strictly prohibits it.

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The indictment provides to a raft of expenses filed in opposition to Bateman final 12 months. In December, prosecutors charged Bateman and a number of other of his wives with kidnapping minors and impeding a foreseeable prosecution for serving to younger women related to the group flee Arizona foster care. An FBI affidavit revealed as a part of the case claimed Bateman took greater than 20 wives, together with 10 women below the age of 18.

The newest indictment expands on these allegations and says Bateman traveled extensively between Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Nebraska and allegedly had intercourse with the minor women frequently. It additionally expenses Bateman with the manufacturing of kid pornography.

Bateman was arrested final 12 months and stays in federal custody pending his trial, which is scheduled for March 5, 2024. He beforehand has pleaded not responsible to state and federal expenses accusing him of kidnapping, little one abuse and tampering with proof.

A name to considered one of Bateman’s attorneys in search of remark in regards to the case wasn’t instantly returned Thursday.

This text was initially revealed by foxnews.com. Learn the original article here.