Just as Tim Ballard was rumored to be getting into the senate race in Utah, seven women have reportedly accused him of sexual misconduct.
Ballard is best known for being the inspiration behind the hit film Sound of Freedom, which starred Jim Cavezial. The movie told the story of a man, based on Ballard, who sought to rescue children from a sex trafficking operation in Latin America.
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Now, Ballard is facing a firestorm.
Sources familiar with the investigation said Ballard — who was portrayed by Jim Cavaziel onscreen in “Sound of Freedom” — had allegedly asked women to act as his “wife” on undercover missions carried out to rescue sex-trafficking victims.
He allegedly pressured women to share a bed or shower with him during the missions, suggesting it was necessary to fool the traffickers, the sources claimed.
Ballard, a former Department of Homeland Security official, was also accused of sending one woman an underwear-clad photo of himself and asking how far she was willing to go to save trafficked kids.
These allegations are apparently behind Ballard’s sudden departure from Operation Underground Railroad, the non-profit he started to combat sex slavery, some months prior. According to the above-mentioned sources, the investigation centers on him pressuring women into sexually compromising positions by saying they were necessary to save children. It does not appear there are any allegations of physical sexual assault.
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Ballard has not commented on the revelations as of this writing.
The investigation into this matter is internal within Operation Underground Railroad. It is possible some kind of civil action could follow, though there is no indication a criminal investigation is underway. This is a developing story.