District Attorney in Utah Declines to Charge Anti-Trafficking Activist with Sex Assault
A shocking move has been made by the district attorney's office in Salt Lake City, Utah, as they have declined to file charges against Tim Ballard, the founder of a prominent anti-child-trafficking organization. Ballard, who was also portrayed in the 2023 film Sound of Freedom, has been accused by multiple women of sexually assaulting and emotionally abusing them while working on efforts to combat human trafficking.
The decision not to bring charges comes after two lawsuits were filed against Ballard, alleging that he exploited his position as founder of Operation Underground Railroad to abuse the trust of female staff members and volunteers. The claims include accusations that Ballard coerced women into sharing intimate moments with him, including showering together and even displaying fake tattoos, in order to gain their trust and access their lives.
One of the lawsuits has been dismissed, pending an appeal, while another remains active. Tim Ballard resigned from Operation Underground Railroad amidst the allegations, which also led to a rebuke from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for what they described as "personal advantage and activity regarded as morally unacceptable".
The district attorney's office cited insufficient admissible evidence as the reason for declining to file charges. However, Ballard's attorneys have released a statement claiming that there is no case against their client and that they hope the authorities will reconsider bringing charges against false accusers.
The decision has sparked outrage among anti-trafficking advocates, who argue that Ballard's actions were predatory and took advantage of his position of power to exploit vulnerable women. The case highlights the challenges faced by victims of sexual assault in coming forward and seeking justice, particularly when accused by powerful individuals with access to resources and networks.
The controversy surrounding Ballard has also raised questions about the film Sound of Freedom, which was based on his true story but has been criticized for its depiction of QAnon theories and alleged ties to far-right ideologies.
A shocking move has been made by the district attorney's office in Salt Lake City, Utah, as they have declined to file charges against Tim Ballard, the founder of a prominent anti-child-trafficking organization. Ballard, who was also portrayed in the 2023 film Sound of Freedom, has been accused by multiple women of sexually assaulting and emotionally abusing them while working on efforts to combat human trafficking.
The decision not to bring charges comes after two lawsuits were filed against Ballard, alleging that he exploited his position as founder of Operation Underground Railroad to abuse the trust of female staff members and volunteers. The claims include accusations that Ballard coerced women into sharing intimate moments with him, including showering together and even displaying fake tattoos, in order to gain their trust and access their lives.
One of the lawsuits has been dismissed, pending an appeal, while another remains active. Tim Ballard resigned from Operation Underground Railroad amidst the allegations, which also led to a rebuke from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for what they described as "personal advantage and activity regarded as morally unacceptable".
The district attorney's office cited insufficient admissible evidence as the reason for declining to file charges. However, Ballard's attorneys have released a statement claiming that there is no case against their client and that they hope the authorities will reconsider bringing charges against false accusers.
The decision has sparked outrage among anti-trafficking advocates, who argue that Ballard's actions were predatory and took advantage of his position of power to exploit vulnerable women. The case highlights the challenges faced by victims of sexual assault in coming forward and seeking justice, particularly when accused by powerful individuals with access to resources and networks.
The controversy surrounding Ballard has also raised questions about the film Sound of Freedom, which was based on his true story but has been criticized for its depiction of QAnon theories and alleged ties to far-right ideologies.
I'm literally shook by this decision 
. It's like they're saying that if you're a powerful person with a good cause, you can basically get away with whatever 
. I mean, come on! Tim Ballard was accused of some serious stuff - coercing women into sharing intimate moments with him and even displaying fake tattoos to gain their trust 
. That's not okay, period 
.
. It's like they're being silenced by the system itself 
. And what about Operation Underground Railroad? Are they just going to let them get away with exploiting vulnerable women? 
That organization is supposed to be fighting against human trafficking, not perpetuating it.
I mean, we're already dealing with so many systemic issues and now this comes up. It's like, are we just going to keep letting powerful people get away with predatory behavior? 
No way, fam! We need to hold them accountable 
.
you got this powerful dude, Tim Ballard, who's supposed to be fighting against human trafficking, but instead he's being accused of the same thing he's trying to combat 
meanwhile, the DA says they can't prove anything because of lack of evidence 
but isn't it weird that two women are coming forward with these serious allegations? what if they're not lying or exaggerating just a bit? 
because of his "war on human trafficking" 
sound of freedom indeed... 
It's always interesting to see how powerful people get a free pass when they're accused of predatory behavior... meanwhile, the women who are coming forward to share their stories just keep getting shut down. 
And now there's even more controversy surrounding that film Sound of Freedom, because, of course, it had to be based on his "true story". 
Just peachy.
District Attorney's office is supposed to be about holding people accountable, not covering up their wrongdoing. This guy had access to a lot of power & influence and he just abused it for his own gain. And now the victims are being silenced because they're afraid to come forward. It's all about the system protecting the powerful & those with money 
. I don't buy that there wasn't enough evidence... seems like a convenient excuse. Something needs to change in this country, we can't keep letting abusers run free! 
. And what really gets me is how some of these victims are being portrayed as "false accusers" 
.
. He did resign from his org and got a rebuke from the LDS church but thats not exactly proof of guilt is it? 
. I think its crazy how fast ppl are to judge without hearing the other side of the story 
. Can we just wait and see what happens next before making up our minds? 
.
I'm all for believing the victims, but at the same time, you gotta have proof, right? Otherwise, it's just a witch hunt. And what really gets my goat is that he resigned from his org before anything was proven... that sounds like a pretty convenient exit strategy to me! 
yeah right 
meanwhile victims of sex assault have to deal with the trauma and emotional toll of coming forward only to be met with "there's no case" 
... maybe there are ways to address these issues without demonizing people who are trying to make a difference 
.
. its so hard for victims of sexual assault to come forward and get justice, especially when accused by powerful people with access to resources and networks 
. im also worried about the film Sound of Freedom being criticized for its depiction of QAnon theories, that movie should be more focused on raising awareness about human trafficking and exploitation 
. its heartbreaking to see a man like Tim Ballard using his platform for good while having such a dark secret 
What are we supposed to believe here? He resigned from his org amid these claims, which already raised red flags 
.
