KINGMAN, Arizona A polygamist convicted of sex offenses linked to his marriage to an underage girl has been sentenced.
On Monday, an Arizona judge ordered 49-year-old David Bateman to serve nine months in prison. He was convicted back in October of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy.
Prosecutors say Bateman fathered a child with the 17-year-old girl, who he had taken as a polygamous wife. However, the alleged victim, Midge Steed, told the judge yesterday she was NOT a victim and said Bateman was a loving husband.
But prosecutors say Arizona law determines what constitutes a victim
Bateman is a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which is a polygamous sect based on the Arizona-Utah border.