Former FLDS Member Speaks Out on New Netflix Documentary Highlighting Abuse

A new Netflix documentary has sparked renewed discussions about abuse and accountability within the Fundamentalist LDS (FLDS) community in Colorado City, Arizona. Titled *Trust Me: The False Prophet*, the series focuses on the arrest of Samuel Bateman, a FLDS leader who was convicted of child sex abuse and is currently serving a 50-year prison sentence. The documentary highlights the broader issue of abuse within the community and the challenges of addressing it.

Bateman’s arrest in 2022 concluded an investigation into child sex abuse in the FLDS community. His case follows that of Warren Jeffs, who was arrested in 2006 after evading authorities for over a year. Jeffs received a life sentence plus 20 years for child sex assault charges. Advocates warn that without sustained efforts, abuse may continue under the guise of religious authority and divine revelation.

Flora Jessop, a former FLDS member and child abuse advocate, fled her family and faith after enduring years of sexual abuse. Despite high-profile arrests, Jessop says the community remains unchanged. She points to the ongoing practice of marrying young girls to older men as evidence of the persistent problem. “There is still no safety net for these kids,” she said.

The FBI has documented Bateman’s abuse of at least 10 children over several years. Like Jeffs, Bateman presented himself as a religious prophet, leading community members to follow his teachings. Jessop criticized the culture of secrecy and protection of predators within the FLDS community. “Lose the cult mentality of keeping secrets, and protecting predators, and shaming victims,” she said. “Because all of those things breed this type of abuse.”

Jessop also expressed frustration with law enforcement, citing a lack of action despite documented abuse. “There are so much documentation, and they still won’t take— even start an investigation because they don’t have enough evidence,” she said. “There’s something very wrong with the system.”

Retired Mohave County Board of Supervisors member Buster Johnson echoed these concerns, stating that law enforcement often ignores the problem. “We see that law enforcement is still ignoring the problem and has been for years,” he said. “They go in and they do something and then they forget about it.”

Johnson warned that the cycle of abuse could continue if new leaders emerge with similar authority. “It just takes someone to claim to have had a revelation to become the new prophet,” he said. “As that is how followers believe.”

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