Witness list for FLDS cult trial includes Warren Jeffs, Secret Service

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (AZFamily) — An extensive witness list for the upcoming Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints polygamy trial has been released and it includes the infamous self-proclaimed prophet Warren Jeffs.

Jeffs is imprisoned for life in Texas for sexually assaulting his child brides.

Two followers of self-proclaimed prophet Samuel Bateman are facing a slew of charges, including child sex abuse and child pornography.

For just two defendants, there are nearly 170 potential witnesses.

For perspective, an average trial of this magnitude has maybe 30 total witnesses.

In August of 2022, there was a dramatic traffic stop in Flagstaff and a trailer full of underage girls that would uncover years of sexual abuse of minors allegedly at the hands of Bateman under the guise of religion and God’s word.

Body-camera video shows the moments Bateman is placed into handcuffs after refusing to give his full identity to authorities.

“Sam, put your hands behind your back. Put your hands behind your back. Put your hands behind your back! Put your hands behind your back!” you hear the officer yelling as Bateman refrains from arrest.

“I just got here. Explain to me what’s going on,” the officer tells Bateman.

“Calm down first,” Bateman replies with a snark.

“I am calm,” the officer said.

Bateman took a plea deal for transporting girls for sex acts and conspiring to kidnap them from state custody after they were rescued.

Many of his adult wives took plea deals for their roles, too.

But two of his male followers, Ladell Bistline Jr. and Torrance Bistline, are getting ready to stand trial.

Ladell faces charges involving child pornography, sex trafficking of two young girls, and recruiting victims for Bateman, while Torrance faces charges of sexual abuse and hiding and destroying evidence.

The extensive trial witness list was released this week with some surprising standout witnesses.

Along with Jeffs, nearly 50 FBI agents were named, prepared to possibly testify, and even a member of the United States Secret Service.

Authorities said many of Bateman’s underage wives, as young as 9 years old, were taken across the country as part of this human trafficking scheme, with law enforcement from Arizona, Utah, Nebraska, Washington, and California all set to testify about the abuse and manipulative attempt to cover it up.

As for evidence we can expect to be presented, we know Bateman kept journals of the abuse and sexual activity that documented what was happening.

We also know they communicated with the encrypted messaging app Signal and tried to delete messages so the FBI could not see them.

Based on the witness list, it appears we’ll hear from credit card companies, hotels, Airbnb, multiple banks, and luxury car dealerships, too, which should help us piece this all together.

As of now, this trial is set to begin on Sept. 10.

Meanwhile, Bateman still awaits sentencing for his plea deal, which is set for Aug. 30.

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