Key Takeaways
- Sam Shetler, an Amish leader, allegedly used his retreat to control and exploit vulnerable individuals under the guise of counseling
- Investigators describe forced labor, abuse, excessive drugging, and psychological manipulation used to maintain control over residents
- Civil action may provide a pathway for survivors to seek accountability from institutions, including religious organizations, that failed to protect them
Sam Shetler Arrested Following Trafficking Investigation
Authorities in Cooper County, Missouri executed a search warrant in March 2026 at the Mercy and Truth Amish and Mennonite “retreat” located at 11863 Hidden Valley Court in Boonville following a multi-year investigation.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, “The retreat was under the control of one individual who took advantage of his position in the Amish Community to control, manipulate, coerce, and force vulnerable people for his own profit in different forms.”
On March 25, 2026, prosecutors requested formal charges and an arrest warrant was issued for Sam B. Shetler, 42, of Boonville, who was arrested at the property. He is charged with two counts of trafficking for the purposes of slavery/involuntary servitude/or forced labor and one count of first degree sodomy or attempted sodomy. His bond was set at $100,000 cash or surety.
The Cooper County Sheriff’s Office stated that investigators have interviewed dozens of witnesses and victims and believe more are involved. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 660-882-2771.
What We Know About Sam Shetler and the Mercy and Truth Retreat
According to Amish America, “Shetler belongs to a Swartzentruber Amish church, generally speaking one of the most conservative and traditional of Amish groups.”
The Swartzentruber Amish are known for maintaining a high degree of separation from modern society, often rejecting many forms of technology and outside influence while emphasizing strict religious practices and community authority.
Sam Shetler is identified as the owner and operator of the aforementioned ”retreat,” a program that presents itself as a faith-centered, nonprofit organization serving individuals within Amish and Mennonite communities.
According to a 2025 newsletter, the “Mercy and Truth Retreat is a non-profit 501(c)(3) and 508 church affiliated private membership association that works primarily with mood disorders and brain/nervous system dysfunctions,” including mental and nervous breakdowns, childhood trauma and abuse, anxiety, and panic attacks, among others.
The materials stated that residents were only charged for lab work, supplements, and medical expenses, while food, care, therapy, mentoring, and housing were described as “free of charge.”
The retreat’s stated vision “to provide care and hope for struggling individuals within our Plain Communities in a Christ like way with little or no cost to the individual person.”
The newsletter indicated that Shetler was involved in leading discussions related to childhood trauma and abuse.
Authorities now allege that Shetler took advantage of his position in the Amish Community for control and manipulation.
Allegations of Forced Labor and Human Trafficking
According to investigators, Shetler is accused of using force, fraud, and coercion to compel residents to work without pay.
Individuals reported being required to perform labor at his farm, sawmill, pallet business, and horse operations, often for long hours and without compensation. Some reported working late into the night, including one individual who stated they were required to work at a horse barn until midnight.
There are also allegations that some residents were “leased out” to perform labor for others, with payment going directly to Shetler.
Investigators allege that these actions meet the legal definition of human trafficking, which involves using force, fraud, or coercion to compel individuals to work or provide services against their will.
How the Investigation Began
According to the probable cause statement, “Between 2022 to 2026 the Cooper County Sheriff’s Office has received numerous phone calls regarding ‘cult-like’ suspicious, abusive, sexual, and neglectful behavior from Shetler to his ‘residents’ at the retreat. Due to cultural differences, several reports were unfounded or unable to be fully investigated.”
One report received in January 2026 came from a former resident who stated that he was at the retreat between 2023 and 2025 as a minor. He described witnessing severe forms of punishment, including a child being forced to sleep in a cold attic during the winter and an Amish man with disabilities being physically abused, including being “kicked in the genitals… locked in the ‘safe room’ for weeks, and ‘tied’ with his hands behind his back and…pepper in his eyes as punishment.”
Allegations of Forced Labor, Drugging, and Coercion
According to the probable cause statement and witness interviews, multiple former residents described a system in which individuals were subjected to forced labor, excessive drugging, and strict control while at the “retreat.”
One individual reported being ordered to take extremely high quantities of pills, sometimes around 100 per day, along with additional sleeping pills. Some of these substances were described as “homemade” by Sam, while others were vitamins or supplements. Shetler would also reportedly charge them for these pills.
In one account, a resident reported “witnessed Sam ‘wrestle down’ a female resident who was refusing to take her pills and sat on her chest, forced the pills into her mouth and held her mouth shut until she swallowed them.”
This labor was allegedly unpaid, with individuals working long hours, sometimes late into the night. Residents were also reportedly “leased out” for labor, with payment going directly to Shetler, while many did not receive the counseling or therapy they had been promised. Investigators report that residents were compelled to comply due to physical and psychological abuse.
According to the probable cause statement, “Forms of punishment at the retreat for not taking pills, not working, or not obeying Sam or the retreat would range from: sleeping in the attic during the winter, sitting in the ‘icehouse,’ being tied or chained up, force fed pills, verbal abuse, ‘spanked,’ continued forced labor, forced into the ‘safe room’ and more.”
Investigators further report that it is evident this environment was marked by a climate of fear, including outbursts of anger, verbal abuse, and threats of violence.
Allegations of Sexual Abuse and Psychological Manipulation
Investigators reported that Shetler allegedly exerted significant control over three young women, convincing them they were “demon possessed” and that he alone could control or remove those forces.
“During ‘counseling sessions,’ Sam will rub oil on the females in order to ‘remove the demons.’ The three females arrived at the facility when they were 15 years old and are now believed to be 19 to 20 years old. They travel everywhere with Sam and follow Sam everywhere he goes,” prosecutors wrote.
According to court records, one victim reported that while at the retreat as a young teenager, she was subjected to inappropriate “counseling” sessions in which Shetler allegedly sexually abused her under the guise of treatment multiple times, including laying on top of her and telling her, “you’re so lucky to be here.”
She stated that he told her she needed to be “healed” and referenced the presence of an “evil spirit” as justification for his actions.
The victim further reported that even though she was upset by these actions, she had been told to “trust Sam.” In another account, she reported being given a substance that made her drowsy and later waking up unable to move, with her limbs being held down in a dark room.
When she later reported the incident, Sam allegedly told her that what she experienced was caused by “evil spirits.”
Evidence Recovered During the Investigation
During the execution of the search warrant, investigators reported recovering extensive evidence from the property, including thousands of handwritten letters and notes, internal documents, treatment “protocols,” and and items described as “crystals,” which investigators identified as small plastic toy stars, bears, or pacifiers that Shetler allegedly claimed to “pull out of the ‘possessed girls.’”
Investigators also recovered internal guidelines instructing residents on how to respond to law enforcement, including directives not to share information without approval.
How Patterns of Control Can Allow Abuse to Thrive
The allegations in this case—particularly those involving authority, isolation, and psychological manipulation—reflect patterns often seen in highly controlled environments. In some settings, structures built around strict control and limited outside oversight can allow abuse to go unchecked, especially when individuals are discouraged from questioning authority or seeking help.
When power is concentrated and accountability is limited, individuals in these settings can become especially vulnerable to exploitation.
The BITE Model
Experts sometimes describe these dynamics using the BITE Model of Authoritarian Control, which outlines four ways control can be maintained:
- Behavior Control: Regulating daily life, including work, movement, and environment
- Information Control: Limiting communication with outsiders or restricting access to outside perspectives
- Thought Control: Shaping beliefs, including discouraging questioning, teaching “thought-stopping” techniques, and manipulating memories
- Emotional Control: Instilling fear, guilt, and teaching “emotion-stopping” techniques
Allegations in this case reflect several of these dynamics. Allegations of forced labor, strict rules, and punishment indicate behavioral control, while allegations of discouraging individuals from sharing information with authorities or outsiders reflect information control.
Statements about individuals being “possessed,” along with allegations that Shetler claimed he alone could control or remove those forces, point to a form of thought control.
In some environments, spiritual or religious explanations are used to shape beliefs, discourage questioning, and reinforce dependence on a single authority figure.
This can include forms of spiritual gaslighting, where individuals are led to question their own perceptions or experiences and instead accept a narrative imposed by the person in control.
When these forms of control are combined, they can create an environment where abuse continues unchecked.
Legal Options for Survivors of Trafficking and Abuse
Survivors of human trafficking, forced labor, or sexual abuse may have the right to pursue civil claims against individuals or institutions who enabled abuse to occur.
These claims may allow survivors to seek compensation for the emotional, psychological, and financial impact of the abuse, while helping to identify systemic failures and prevent future harm.
In this case, the allegations involve a nonprofit retreat that was presented as a place for counseling and support, but where individuals were allegedly subjected to forced labor, coercion, and abuse.
These kinds of cases raise important questions about oversight and accountability, including who (beyond Shetler) may have been involved in operating or supporting the program. Civil claims can help investigate whether individuals or entities connected to the retreat—such as those who helped facilitate or fund the program—may share responsibility for what occurred.
For survivors, pursuing a civil case can be one pathway to justice, helping to expose patterns of abuse, hold those responsible accountable, and prevent similar harm from happening to others in the future.
If You Were Harmed by Sam Shetler
If you or someone you know may have been harmed by Sam Shetler or someone else at the Mercy and Truth retreat, speaking with an attorney can be an important step in understanding your legal rights and options.
Andreozzi + Foote represents survivors of sexual abuse and trafficking nationwide and approaches every case with care, discretion, and a trauma-informed perspective. Our team is committed to helping survivors and their families navigate the emotional and legal aftermath of abuse.
We can help you understand your rights and pursue justice.
Contact us today.
📞 (866) 311-8640
📧 info@vca.law
Image sources: Mercy and Truth Retreat, courtesy of KOMU 8. Mugshot of Sam B. Shetler, courtesy of Cooper County Sheriff’s Office.
