Alleged cult leader Eligio Bishop, also known as “Nature Boy,” has been handed a life sentence without the possibility of parole after being found guilty on March 1 on multiple charges, including rape. A jury reached the verdict following a trial that shed light on the disturbing activities within the so-called “Carbon Nation” group led by Bishop.

The sentencing, which took place recently, marked the culmination of a legal battle that began when Bishop was arrested in April 2022.

A neighbor told WSB-TV in 2022 after Bishop’s arrest, “Carbon Nation is his cult. He’s been whooping girls, beating girls, fertilizing girls, getting girls ready for marriage.”

A grand jury later indicted him on five charges, including rape in July 2022. The arrest came after allegations surfaced regarding his leadership of the group and the perpetration of heinous crimes against its members. Subsequently, a grand jury indicted him on five charges, including rape, in July of the same year.

Bishop, 40, was found guilty on all counts, with the most serious charge of rape resulting in a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Additionally, he was sentenced to 10 years for false imprisonment, with other related charges carrying concurrent sentences ranging from 12 months to 5 years.

The case shed light on the practices within the Carbon Nation group, with testimonies from former members providing insight into the alleged abuse and manipulation they endured under Bishop’s leadership. One former member, identified as Bishop’s girlfriend, revealed to authorities that she had been subjected to revenge porn after leaving the group, underscoring the psychological and emotional toll inflicted on victims. Bishop’s wife and former cult member told 11Alive he had sexually and emotionally abused members.

During the trial, witnesses recounted harrowing experiences of abuse and manipulation, with one describing Bishop as “a monster to us all.”

The judge said to Bishop, aka Nature Boy, during sentencing, “You’re a master manipulator and probably the classic definition of a narcissist.”

“The fact that he’s a cult leader is not on trial,” Assistant District Attorney Michael Coveney rsaid, Complex reported. “It’s how he used, exploited, and abused his members.”

Before his sentencing, some of Bishop’s former cult members shared testimony about the abuse they experienced.

Eligio Bishop, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office