OUR founder Tim Ballard striking back, sues accuser

PROVO — Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard accused a former Miss Utah pageant winner of defamation in a lawsuit Wednesday and hinted that he could pursue legal action against other women who have accused him of sexual assault.

Amy Davis is one of five women who, in October last year, sued the anti-trafficking activist and inspiration for the hit 2023 film “Sound of Freedom,” accusing him of using a ruse meant to fool child traffickers to coerce them into sexual contact. Davis and the other women sued anonymously, but have since spoken publicly, including in a New York Times story published earlier this month.

Davis worked with Ballard as a makeup artist and alleged that he made advances toward her during training sessions before purported rescue operations.

Ballard has repeatedly denied all claims of sexual assault or misconduct, and accused Davis of defaming him in court and in public statements. His lawsuit, filed in Utah’s 4th District Court, is the first counterclaim filed by Ballard since the legal saga began last year. The lawsuit said it “is likely that Mr. Ballard will soon be filing similar lawsuits against other false accusers.”

“In October 2021, former Ms. Utah, Amy Morgan Davis, was kicked out of an OUR undercover training school after having invited me to her hotel room to engage in sexual activity,” Ballard said in a social media post Wednesday.

Ballard claims in his lawsuit that Davis was invited to a formal training conducted by Operation Underground Railroad beginning Oct. 14, 2021, and was under consideration to be a possible undercover operative for the organization. It was during this time that the alleged sexual misconduct occurred.

Ballard’s version of events alleges that, rather than participate in the training, Davis used the training retreat at a Salt Lake City hotel to attempt to seduce him. His lawsuit includes screenshots of texts sent by Davis to Ballard in November 2021, which he says back up his side of the story.

“On Nov. 22, 2021, Ms. Davis began texting Mr. Ballard, expressing disappointment that she was not able to complete the training and potentially go on undercover operations with Mr. Ballard,” the lawsuit states. The text messages included things such as: “I’m sad we can’t train together,” “I felt really comfortable with you” and “Maybe your eyes cast a spell on me lol.”

But Davis’ attorneys said the messages included in Ballard’s lawsuit don’t represent the full conversation. Davis filed a response to Ballard on Thursday asking that the claims be dismissed, along with another series of texts that show Ballard asking Davis to attend the training in early October. “Had Ballard chosen to attach all the texts between he and the defendant, it would be observed that Ballard was asking defendant to go to strip clubs and exotic massage parlors,” the defense filing states. “Defendant declined as she was uncomfortable.”

Two other lawsuits against Ballard have been dismissed this year. One was dismissed under a new Utah law aimed at protecting Utahns from being sued for exercising their free speech or other protected rights, and another was dismissed after a judge found a liability waiver barred the woman from filing suit.