The raid occurred at around 8am on a mild September morning at a green bungalow in Short Creek, according to reports. Officers used megaphones to order everyone outside with their hands up, sources said. More than a dozen women and girls, some as young as nine, were inside the bungalow at the time, according to accounts. According to Daily Mail - News, an unnamed housemate described a frantic reaction, saying they felt the need for weapons and expressed a willingness to die if authorities entered. Bateman, who controlled a harem of polygamous 'wives' including many underage girls, was taken into custody, reports indicate. The exact date of the raid in September has not been publicly confirmed.
Short Creek is a ten-square-mile enclave founded in the 1930s by fundamentalists seeking to practice polygamy away from outsiders, according to historical accounts. The community came under the control of Rulon Jeffs, known as 'The Prophet' and 'voice of God on Earth', sources say. After Rulon Jeffs' death in 2002, his son Warren took over, imposing harsher rules and increasing isolation for residents, reports indicate.
Where's my pepper spray? I need an AR-15.
The FBI operation was aided by a traitor who spent two years gaining trust within Bateman's circle to help orchestrate the raid, according to sources. That individual was Christine Marie, a former Ms. Michigan, escape artist, and ventriloquist, reports say. Christine, a former Mormon who had herself fallen victim to trafficking by a 'false prophet', infiltrated Bateman's world alongside her husband Tolga Katas to expose abuse and his power over followers, according to accounts. After escaping her own ordeal, Christine studied cult psychology, earned a doctorate, and decided to use her experience to help others, sources indicate. She believed members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) needed to be rescued and moved to Short Creek for this mission, according to reports. The identity of the traitor was not initially disclosed in reports.
Bateman was later sentenced to 50 years in jail for his crimes, according to court records. However, multiple reports indicate he continues to influence victims from behind bars, though specific details on how he maintains this control have not been provided. The current status of the women and girls rescued from the bungalow remains unclear, as authorities have not released updates on their wellbeing or placement.
If they try to come in, they die and we die.
The story has gained widespread attention through the Netflix documentary 'Trust Me: The False Prophet', which is currently number one on the streamer, according to reports. The documentary brings Bateman's actions and the raid to public light, highlighting the ongoing issues within isolated polygamous communities.
Personal accounts from the raid reveal the chaotic scene inside the bungalow. Naomi Bistline was in the shower when the raid occurred, according to multiple reports. According to Daily Mail - News, the same unnamed housemate described a defiant stance, stating that if authorities tried to come in, they would die and the residents would die too. Specific details of the abuse Bateman perpetrated against his followers have not been fully detailed in public records.