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LINDON — Lindon police have confirmed that they have opened up a criminal investigation of Operation Underground Railroad founder and former CEO Tim Ballard.
A woman filed a police report against Ballard, alleging the anti-sex trafficking activist sexually assaulted her.
The woman contacted Lindon police Nov. 1 to report an assault, according to an initial police report obtained by KSL.com through an open records request. The record outlines that a police report was made, but doesn't include any specifics or evidence about what the woman says occurred.
"A meeting was set with a detective for the next day," the report says. "I have forwarded this case to investigations for the interview."
Lindon Police Chief Mike Broward confirmed the department is investigating. "We have received a complaint and we are opening an investigation," he said.
Ballard was accused of sexual misconduct in a pair of civil lawsuits filed last month by six anonymous women and one man. Suzette Rasmussen, an attorney for those seven, confirmed it was one of her clients who came forward to Lindon police, though she did not provide more information.
The woman is the first known person to file a police report against Ballard.
Ballard has previously denied all accusations of sexual misconduct, dismissing them as "false" and "baseless inventions designed to destroy me and the movement we have built to end the trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable children."
The SPEAR Fund — for which Ballard serves as a senior adviser and which has previously issued statements on his behalf — issued a statement Thursday evening, saying Ballard had not been informed of a criminal complaint or been contacted by law enforcement.
"The fact that a purported criminal complaint has been leaked to the media is even further evidence of the true intent behind this charade," Ken Krogue, SPEAR Fund president, said in a statement. "It is designed to stir up a media frenzy, to harm the reputation of Mr. Ballard, and to impede his and others' efforts to fight the sex trafficking industry."
Krogue noted that citizens cannot initiative a criminal investigation, they can only submit complaints to law enforcement.
"The fact that one or more of the women suddenly supposedly realized that they were victimized by a crime raises questions as to their credibility and intentions that will be answered in the pending litigation," he said.
Although it's unclear how far along the investigation is, Utah County prosecutor Jeff Gray on Thursday said his office has not received the case from police. He said if Lindon police determine they have enough evidence, they'll pass the case along to be reviewed for potential charges.
"Once police have determined whether or not they believe there's probable cause, or enough evidence to pursue the case, then they'll present it to our office," he said. "Then we'll review it. ... They'll also have the officer there and discuss the case — discuss, basically, to determine whether that the evidence is sufficient to support the charges. And then at that point, what we'll do is make that determination and either file or decline."
