Kriti Mehrotra
With Netflix’s ‘Trust Me: The False Prophet’ exploring the reality of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints across Utah in the early 2020s, we get a gripping original. It actually shines a light upon everything from the community’s crisis following the 2011 arrest of their leader, Warren Jeffs, to how a member soon began claiming himself as the successor. However, things changed over the years, and even Samuel “Sam” Bateman was brought to justice in federal court in 2024 with the help of individuals like Julia Johnson and Moretta Johnson.
Julia and Moretta Johnson Had Differeing Views on Their Leader For the Longest Time
A native of Short Creek, Utah, Julia Johnson grew up within the sect under the presidency of Warren Jeffs and was thus relatively young when she got married in the late 1990s/early 2000s. She had tied the knot with a high-level member, Moroni Johnson, as his first plural spouse, so she spent the ensuing two decades keeping house and raising kids alongside sister wives. She seemed perfectly content with the life they had built, that is, until her husband became involved with a once rank-and-file member turned self-proclaimed prophet, Samuel “Sam” Bateman.
Julia admittedly did not believe Sam’s claims of being Warren’s successor or getting intense “visions” in any capacity, but her husband of 20 years quickly became a devout follower. In fact, according to the aforementioned original, he believed in this new possible leader so much that he gave him most of his young wives and children to take as brides. Among them were at least 3 minors, according to records, including Moretta Johnson. The latter was hesitant about Sam at first, yet she ended up being one of his fiercest defenders over time.
The Johnsons were such trusted followers that Sam had them move into the basement of one of his properties, so Julia was as much a part of his household as his wives and children. She was thus witness to most of his behaviors and routines, but she couldn’t even bring herself to voice how wrong it all seemed because she didn’t believe she would be supported. Therefore, for 2 years, she just watched as the young women in his circle allegedly lost themselves to his charm, including Moretta, who gave birth to his child 7 months after she turned 18.
Julia and Moretta Johnson Were On Opposite Sides Until a Prison Stint Unlocked Perspective
While Julia was terrified to open up about Sam’s actuality, she grew to trust cult expert Christine Marie and videographer Tolga Katas while they were documenting the so-called prophet. It was the quiet way she spent time at the couple’s home that let them know she had something to share, and that was when they revealed they had already been in contact with the FBI about him. All Julia wanted was for everyone to be free and safe, so she agreed not only to detail everything to the special agent in charge but also to provide any additional evidence she could.
As per the aforementioned series, Julia was key in letting investigators know precisely what to look into as she revealed Sam’s pattern of sexual activities with minors, group sexual events that often involved the girls’ fathers either in person or via video streaming, and much more. In the end, the FBI raided all 3 of his properties in Colorado City, Utah, on September 13, 2022, during which he was arrested for good, and the minors under his care were taken in by the state. Julia subsequently temporarily moved into Christine and Tolga’s home to show the government she had stability in the hopes of gaining custody of at least her 2 minor kids, but things changed.
On November 27, 2022, several of Sam’s wives/followers kidnapped all eight girls in state custody before fleeing to Spokane, Washington, which is where they were all found on December 1. Then-19-year-old Moretta was among them, so she was arrested on charges of abduction, only for her to ultimately plead guilty to the lesser count of concealing a felony in 2024. She consequently served a year behind bars before being released, which proved to be a good thing for her as it gave her time away from the self-proclaimed prophet and the FLDS Church. In fact, according to the original production, when she finally got out, she told her mother, “prison set me free.”
Julia and Moretta Johnson Prefer to Lead Quiet Lives Today
After Sam was arrested, Julia had a candid conversation with her husband about what they had done and the path they wanted to take moving forward, something she had never done. Her assertiveness resulted in Moroni also agreeing to cooperate with the authorities, just for it to inadvertently also further help in her regaining custody of her minor children a while later. As for her current standing, it appears as if she continues to reside in Short Creek, Utah, but is no longer an active member of the FLDS Church and is completely separated from Moroni. Apart from the fact that the latter is now serving a 25-year sentence in federal prison for his role in the crimes and is physically away from her, she holds no marital obligations to him.
“I’ve learned some pretty tough and hard lessons,” Julia stated in the documentary. “One of them is, I should be able to ask questions as a… as a woman. Moroni and I don’t live together as a married couple at this time. How do I teach my daughters to walk away from it if I can’t? To the fullest.” Coming to Morettea, who maintains that prison enabled her to develop her own thought process, it appears she has completely stepped away from the FLDS Church to start afresh. From what we can tell, she now resides in Herriman, Utah, where she has evolved into a happily married mother of two and a working woman. The bookkeeper at Iron Shield Construction tied the knot with Esteban Cardona on April 19, 2024, with whom she joyously welcomed a child in late 2024/early 2025. Honestly, both Julia and Moretta seem perfectly content with their lives today, which is all that matters in the long run. We wish them nothing but the best for their future.
