Authorities reported that two Arizona men were convicted on Wednesday of charges associated with a child sexual abuse conspiracy that involved a religious sect located near the Arizona-Utah border.
45-year-old LaDell Jay Bistline, Jr. was one of the males.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, he provided his 9- and 11-year-old daughters as child brides to the leader of the religious sect.
Prosecutors reported that Torrance Bistline, 36, was the other man found guilty on Wednesday. Bistline was responsible for sexually abusing one of the leader’s juvenile brides and financially supporting the sect.
The two brothers were adherents of Samuel Rappylee Bateman, a self-proclaimed prophet who headed a religious organization situated in Colorado City, Arizona.
In April, Bateman, who considered himself a prophet, entered a plea of guilty to conspiring to transport underage females across state lines for child sexual abuse, as reported by The Associated Press.
His polygamous and pedophilic group encompassed Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska.
Bateman married more than 20 women, including 10 females under the age of 18. According to The Associated Press, he frequently raped underage girls and presented spouses to his male followers as gifts.
Several of these sexual offenses were purportedly captured on film and transmitted across state lines.
Prosecutors reported that nine additional adherents, in addition to the Bistline brothers, entered guilty pleas to charges associated with the child sexual abuse conspiracy.
LaDell Jay Bistline, Jr. was found guilty of these charges:
- One count of receipt of child pornography.
- One count of transferring obscene material to a minor.
- Two counts of transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity.
- Two counts of persuading or coercing someone to travel for sexual activities.
- Two counts of using interstate commerce to coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity.
Torrance Bistline was found guilty of the following charges:
- One count of using interstate commerce to coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity.
- Two counts of destroying records in an official proceeding.
- One count of conspiring to destroy records that are part of an official proceeding.
- One count of tampering with an official proceeding.
- One count of conspiring to tamper with an official proceeding.
Source: KTAR News
