PHOENIX (CN) — As more wives of the former polygamist church leader Samuel Rappylee Bateman plead guilty to various charges, two of his closest followers continue refusing to cooperate with the federal prosecution.
Torrance Bistline, a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and a follower of its former leader Bateman, appeared in federal court Monday afternoon to formally reject the government’s plea offer. Bistline faces six charges stemming from his sexual conduct with Bateman’s several child brides.
Those charges include using interstate commerce to entice a minor into sexual conduct, conspiracy to tamper with an official proceeding, tampering with an official proceeding, conspiracy to destroy evidence, and two counts of destruction of evidence.
Bistline had sex with a 12-year-old girl at Bateman’s direction, according to an FBI investigation, and was physically or virtually present for orgies between Bateman and both his adult and child brides between 2019 and Bateman’s arrest in 2022. Prosecutors say Bistline helped destroy messages and other evidence while Bateman was in jail.
Bistline faces up to 10 years in prison on the use of interstate commerce to entice a minor into sexual activity charge, and up to 20 years for each other charge. Rather than proceed to trial, federal prosecutors offered Bistline a way out — plead guilty only to the first charge and face 10-15 years in prison.
Bistline, 36, turned it down. Trial is set for Aug. 26.
LaDell Bistline, another male follower of Bateman, is expected to reject his plea offer Tuesday. Moretta Rose Johnson, who was only 17 when she married Bateman in 2019, pleaded not guilty in late January. Naomi Bistline still hasn’t been arraigned on the third and most recent superseding indictment. She pleaded not guilty to the second superseding indictment in May 2023.
Five of Bateman's adult wives, some of whom kidnapped or helped organize the kidnapping of eight child brides after they were taken from Bateman into Arizona Department of Child Services custody, have pleaded guilty since January. A sixth wife, Leilani Barlow, is expected to plead guilty next week.
Bateman pleaded guilty on April 1 to a count each of conspiracy to commit transportation of a minor for criminal sexual activity and conspiracy to commit kidnapping — both Class A felonies. The 47-year-old faces 20-50 years in prison and up to $1 million in restitution to each of his victims.
At his plea hearing, Bateman admitted to amassing more than a dozen wives, 10 of whom were minors when they married him. He admitted to regularly having sex with those child brides and ordering his adult wives to train them to sexually please him. He also admitted to holding orgies he called “atonement ceremonies” between all of his wives.
The language of the plea agreement makes clear that it’s contingent on the guilty pleas of each co-defendant. The government reserves the right to rescind the offer and proceed to trial if any of Bateman’s co-defendants reject their plea agreements, which Torrance Bistline has already done and LaDell Bistline plans to do.
If the case proceeds to trial, it’s unclear whether Bateman would testify against the remaining defendants, or if the government would rescind its agreement and put him on trial as well.
Follow @JournalistJoeAZ
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.
Additional Reads
-
-
Head of Vietnam’s parliament resigns amid corruption probe April 26, 2024
