PHOENIX (CN) — The first of more than 20 wives of a former polygamist church leader accused of sexually abusing underage girls pleaded guilty Thursday to attempting to obstruct an FBI investigation into the leader and his followers.
Marona Johnson, who married Samuel Rappylee Bateman in 2019 when she was 21, was found in an FBI investigation to have participated in orgies with Bateman and his 10 underage wives. Bateman was the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a subsection of the Mormon church that still practices polygamy.
Bateman declared himself a prophet in 2018 and used his religious influence to to acquire more than 20 brides — 10 of whom were minors when they married — between 2019 and 2022.
Federal prosecutors said Johnson, Bateman’s first wife, forced her 10-year-old sister to strip naked while watching Bateman have sex with other wives, distributed pornography to Bateman’s child brides, hid evidence during an FBI raid and even aided in the kidnapping of eight child brides in September 2022.
Magistrate Judge Eileen Willet said Thursday in Arizona federal court that Johnson often had sex with Bateman in front of the children “so that they could learn how to sexually please Bateman.”
Willet asked Johnson if the accusations are true. Johnson, voice soft and unsteady, mumbled, “Yes.”
Despite her confession, she is charged with only one crime: conspiracy to tamper with an official proceeding, for asking one of the child brides to hide a USB drive containing communications between Bateman and all his wives about their sexual acts. Bateman is charged with destruction of evidence for asking his wives to delete messages, as well as multiple sex crimes against minors for his actions leading up to his 2022 arrest.
Johnson was also charged in a May superseding indictment with transferring obscene material to minors, but that charge will be dismissed as part of her plea agreement, her attorney said after the hearing.
Conspiracy to tamper with an official proceeding, a Class C felony, can carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, as well as restitution to each victim of Bateman’s crimes.
By her guilty plea, the government has agreed to stipulate with the judge a sentence of no more than five years in prison and restitution of up to $100,000 for each victim.
Johnson’s attorney, Jocquese Blackwell, said he doesn't know if she’ll be called to testify against Bateman or the nine others named in the indictment, and declined to comment on why Johnson decided to change her plea when she did.
Two more of Bateman’s wives, Brenda Barlow and Leia Bistline, are expected to plead guilty in the coming days. Barlow is charged with transferring obscene materials to minors, and Bistline is accused of kidnapping Bateman’s underage wives from Department of Child Services custody.
U.S. District Judge Susan Brnovich revoked Johnson’s pretrial release in August, calling her a threat to her community.
“She is devoted to Mr. Bateman and will do whatever he says,” Brnovich said at the time.
Blackwell said she’s merely a victim of Bateman’s manipulation and abuse.
Wife Leilani Barlow and male follower Torrance Bistline were denied pretrial release as well.
It’s unclear if any of the seven remaining people indicted, including Bateman, will change their pleas before the September 20 trial.
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