Warren Jeffs led a polygamous cult. When he went to prison, a new evil replaced him.

Within the sweeping valleys and beautiful mountains of Utah and Arizona lie neighbouring towns, Hildale and Colorado City.

The picturesque towns harbour a dark past.

For decades, an offshoot of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) governed the region, everywhere from the police department, to schools, and most of the land.

In charge of the Mormon fundamentalist group, infamous for mass polygamy and child marriage, was Warren Jeffs, who is now imprisoned for life for taking more than 70 wives and abusing children.

It's believed that at least 24 of these 'brides' were underage. But, as the saying goes, cut off one head, and two will grow back.

After Warren Jeffs was finally in prison, a new "prophet" claimed it was his time to lead.

In 2019, Samuel Rappylee Bateman, who had been a follower of Jeffs, claimed he called him to take charge of the church, per 12 News.

As he gained followers, Bateman encouraged his community to follow him to Colorado City. But that wasn't all he wanted.

The self-proclaimed prophet also convinced his followers to give up their children as young as nine years old to become his child "brides".

Of course, none of the "marriages" could be legally recognised, and they also weren't ceremonially recognised. But Bateman confirmed that each time he took a new "wife" it marked the start of sexual contact with the woman or girl, AP reports.

His heinous crimes finally caught up with him when the Federal Bureau of Investigation came knocking. Now, Bateman, 48, has been sentenced to 50 years behind bars.

Watch: Self-proclaimed "prophet" Samuel Bateman sentenced to decades in prison for crimes against children. Post continues below.

A predator posing as a "prophet".

Since 2019, Bateman used social media to gain followers in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska claiming he was a prophet of God and that he was acting on orders from the "Heavenly Father".

He and his followers, an offshoot of the sect once led by Jeffs, believe polygamy brings exaltation in heaven.

Between 2020 and 2021, the "prophet" convinced his followers to give their minor daughters to him as child "brides". Harrowing tales of abuse followed.

Victims as young as nine were sexually abused and regularly coerced and manipulated into individual and group sex acts with adults and other children.

If a follower was found to have made an indiscretion, Bateman handed out punishments. These ranged from public shaming to forcing male followers to atone by giving their own 'wives' and daughters to him.

"He gave one of the victims to an adult male follower to be sexually abused, and on another occasion transmitted a live video stream of child sexual abuse to his followers," the Arizona District Attorney's Office said.

Throughout this time, Bateman was amassing a multitude of "wives". At the time of his arrest he had more than 20, 10 of whom were minors. One was just nine years old. He and others forced the victims to move between states to facilitate the abuse.

This went on up until his arrest in August 2022.

Samuel Rappylee Bateman claimed Warren Jeffs, pictured, called him to take charge of the church. Image: Getty.

Someone alerted authorities after spotting small fingers reaching through the slats of a door on a trailer Bateman was driving through Flagstaff, Arizona.

Inside the trailer, which had no ventilation, they found a makeshift toilet, a sofa, camping chairs and three girls, 11 to 14 years old, AP reports.

Bateman's child victims were rescued and placed in the care of Arizona Department of Child Safety.

But the horrendous torment didn't end there. Bateman posted bond only to conspire with some of his followers to kidnap the victims from their custody placements.

They managed to kidnap eight of the girls and take them to California and then to Washington, where authorities tracked them down and returned them to Arizona.

Many Hildale, Utah residents are members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Image: Getty.

"You stripped them of their innocence."

Bateman was charged along with 11 of his adult followers, all of whom have also been convicted of charges related to the child sexual abuse conspiracy.

On April 1, the self-proclaimed "prophet" pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit transportation of a minor for criminal sexual activity and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

In pleading guilty, the 48-year-old acknowledged taking underage "brides", having sex with them and arranging group sex with underage victims.

One victim, who was 14 when she was "given to" Bateman, wrote an impact statement explaining how Bateman's abuse infiltrated her life.

"He stripped her of her identity — including her personality, dreams, and ambitions — and she lost her education, self-confidence, and many of her family relationships," court documents said, per 12 News.

"These young victims will live with the memories and the trauma they suffered at the hands of the defendant and some of his co-defendants for the rest of their lives."

FLDS girls playing in Colorado City, Arizona. Image: Getty.

US District Court Judge Susan Brnovich sentenced Bateman to 50 years imprisonment, saying for a man of his age it was effectively a life sentence.

"You should not have the opportunity to be free and never have the opportunity to be around young women," she told him.

"You took them from their homes, from their families and made them into sex slaves.

"You stripped them of their innocence and childhood."

Two of Bateman's co-defendants were convicted at trial by a jury, and the others were convicted by guilty plea. Several other defendants have already been sentenced, and the remaining defendants will be sentenced in the coming months.

After Bateman's sentencing, teen girls in court hugged each other and wept, per AP.

Feature image: AAP.