'Sound of Freedom' inspiration, Tim Ballard, gets accused of s*xual misconduct by five women

Tim Ballard, the man whose life story inspired the box office hit Sound of Freedom, is now facing a lawsuit filed by five women accusing him of s*xual assault and battery. The lawsuit comes as a shocking revelation, casting a shadow over Ballard's reputation as a former U.S. Homeland Security agent and founder of the nonprofit organization Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.).

The lawsuit was filed in the Third Judicial District Court of Utah a month after Ballard resigned from O.U.R. The organization had also initiated an external investigation into allegations that Ballard coerced at least seven women to act like "wives" during overseas missions. However, Ballard has vehemently denied these allegations, dismissing them as "baseless inventions."

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of s*xual assault. Readers' discretion is advised.

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Tim Ballard faces serious allegations

Tim Ballard (Image via IMDb)

One of the women, identified as "WW" in the lawsuit, alleged that Ballard invited her to his office to discuss her concerns about her boyfriend possibly being involved in trafficking. During the meeting, Ballard introduced her to a tactic he used on missions called "Couples Ruse." This involved women accompanying him on missions to make traffickers less suspicious. However, the lawsuit claims that Ballard used this tactic as a grooming mechanism for s*xual assault.

Furthermore, during a mission in Mexico, Tim Ballard was accused of groping WW repeatedly, insisting they had to "remain in character" as a "kinky couple" to make the sting operation believable. WW felt re-traumatized by the mission and refused to participate in any more missions. She later discovered that what happened was not a normal part of the mission after another woman, identified as "DM," told her that Ballard had allegedly "pushed her up against the wall and licked her stomach."

Besides Ballard, O.U.R., its board, and its affiliated companies are also listed as defendants in the lawsuit. The attorneys for the women claim that their client's concerns were ignored by O.U.R., labeling Ballard as a "s*xual predator."

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Public impact and Ballard's defense

The movie Sound of Freedom, which portrays Ballard as a hero breaking up child s*x trafficking rings, had developed a devoted following among conservative and religious groups. So, these allegations have put a dark cloud over the movie and the organization. Attorneys Suzette Rasmussen and Alan Mortensen have said:

“The tragic irony is not lost on these five women: that Tim Ballard literally trafficked them for his own s*xual and egotistical gratification."

According to a press release from The Spear Fund, Tim Ballard, in his defense, has stated:

“They are baseless inventions designed to destroy me and the movement we have built to end the trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable children.”

The lawsuit and the allegations it contains have sent shockwaves through the community.