↪ https://www.vice.com/en/a .. ficking-victim

Files from a joint local and federal criminal investigation released to VICE News describe video evidence of the incident, which took place in Mexico on an Operation Underground Railroad mission. Paul Hutchinson—an executive producer of Sound of Freedom, the film focused on the heavily fictionalized exploits of anti-trafficking activist Tim Ballard—touched the naked breasts of an apparently underage trafficking victim during a 2016 undercover operation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Footage of the incident and its aftermath was captured by videographers working with Operation Underground Railroad, or OUR, the private anti-trafficking group Ballard founded. An investigator with the Davis County Attorney’s Office obtained the footage and wrote detailed descriptions of it as part of a criminal investigation into Ballard and OUR carried out with the FBI. That investigation was closed this year without any charges being brought. The descriptions were included among documents obtained by VICE News through a public-records request, and make clear that the trafficking victim appeared to be—and was believed at the time by Hutchinson and OUR operatives to be—about 16 years old. They also assert that OUR believed the footage had been destroyed. A description of one of the videos, written by an investigator, shows Hutchinson expressing concerns over whether he could be prosecuted by Mexican authorities over the incident. He was speaking to Matt Osborne, an OUR operative, who dismissed his worries while making clear he didn’t think the video should be shown to the U.S. government. Osborne is currently the president and chief operating officer of OUR, as he has been since Ballard resigned from the organization earlier this year following an internal investigation into allegations of s3xual misconduct. Hutchinson, 52, is an anti-trafficking activist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur with lines in, among other things, ballistic protection technology and private vaults who’s long been associated with the Utah anti-trafficking movement. According to his LinkedIn, he was the first investor in Sound of Freedom. Currently affiliated with the Child Liberation Foundation, he was a key fundraiser and operative for OUR before splitting with Ballard several years ago over, as he put it in an email to VICE News, “similar reasons as those you are bringing to light in your stories.” Provided with a detailed description of what was in the investigative files, he did not deny that the videos showed him doing what the investigator’s description said they did, or dispute that he had felt the trafficking victim’s naked breasts. He did dispute that she was a minor, asserting that he had a sworn affidavit from Mexican federal police saying that she was over 18. He did not respond to multiple requests, sent over a period of weeks, to provide a copy of this document. A detailed description of another video shows Hutchinson potentially creating demand for trafficking while posing as a wealthy s3x tourist. According to an investigator’s description, he asked a trafficker, who was showing him pictures of s3x workers, for younger girls—or, as he and the trafficker both described them, “mas fresca.” The trafficker, according to the investigator’s description of the video, tells women who are working with him to find girls as young as 14 to provide to Hutchinson. There is no suggestion in the files that Hutchinson’s behavior was aimed at anything but identifying and exposing traffickers, but federal agents with extensive experience working undercover overseas told VICE News that Hutchinson’s methods ran contrary to best practice. For years, experts in the anti-trafficking field have raised concerns about OUR’s methods potentially creating demand for trafficking victims, due to scenarios precisely like this one. Rather than finding minors who were already being trafficked, requesting younger victims while undercover could cause traffickers to try and find people to fill that request. In other words, such a request would not rescue trafficking victims; it could potentially create them. Tim Ballard—who has said he is likely to run for the Senate seat Mitt Romney is vacating—did not respond to requests for comment for this story; OUR provided a statement which can be found below. “There is a lot to the story, a very dangerous situation and I am happy to let the world know the details when the time is right,” Hutchinson wrote in an email to VICE News. “Every operator who was present stands behind me in how I reacted to the situation. I have zero reservations as to how I handled myself undercover. “You don’t find trafficked children in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton. We had to go to the most dangerous places on the planet to find the children. “All my undercover work was done with integrity and honor.” Documents related to the incident can be read here. The footage reviewed by investigators was taken as part of the filming of The Abolitionists, a 2016 documentary movie and 2019 television series featuring Hutchinson. The documentaries valorize the exploits of Ballard and OUR, who are depicted carrying out private undercover operations in foreign countries aimed at liberating child s3x slaves. (Darrin Fletcher and Chet Thomas, the producers and directors for the film, did not respond to requests for comment from VICE News.) The files obtained by VICE News consist of audio tr@nscripts and timestamped descriptions of what investigator Bryan Purdy of the Davis County Attorney’s Office saw while reviewing the footage—which OUR, according to an investigator’s note, believed it had “scrubbed.” A description of one video—which was, going by its associated file name, taken in February 2016 using an “earphone cam”—starts, "Paul Hutchinson and his team are standing in the street area talking with local men." They cross the street and go into a club, where females are seen walking toward them down a staircase. “A female,” the description—which like the others in this story we are reproducing verbatim aside from minor redactions, complete with typographical and grammatical errors—reads, “gets to the bottom of the stairs and there is an adult male standing to her left side. The male is wearing a light-colored shirt with long sleeves and a necktie. The male uses both of his hands to lift the female’s shirt up to her shoulders exposing her naked breasts. While he continues to hold the female’s shirt up with both hands, another adult male approaches from directly in front of the female. This male (identified as Paul Hutchinson based on his own statements on a phone call to Matt Osborn.) is wearing a light-colored shirt with short sleeves. Paul approaches the female and lifts both of his hands and places them on each of the female’s naked breasts. The female uses her hand to push down Paul’s hands and pulls her shirt down. There is another female standing above them higher on the stairway wearing a dark colored skirt/shorts and a dark colored tube top shirt. “Paul leans in and kisses the first female on the side of the cheek,” read the investigator’s notes. The adult male in the white shirt, according to the description, goes outside with Hutchinson and his team. “You want more touch, feel, oh no more touch,” he says. Another man says, “You like more 16” and that he can provide IDs. Hutchinson pays one of these men—which isn’t made clear in the description—money and says, “For showing ‘em to me right there.” Purdy, the investigator, also wrote a description of a second video, which to go by its file name was taken the same day as the first one using a “backpack cam.” (According to a note, this video was taken in the same club and in the same time frame as the other one, using a different camera.) “Another girl like her, (inaudible),” says a local male’s voice, according to the description. “16, she’s 16.” One of the OUR operatives is heard saying, “Let’s get the hell out of here.” Hutchinson is heard saying, “Yeah, let’s get out of here, I’m down a grand.” “For a thousand bucks you got your hands on some breasts,” says a male voice, to laughter. “What was I going to do?” asks a second male voice, whose words are described as being interrupted repeatedly by laughter. “Okay, she’s 16, here, feel them, they’re nice. I’m like, sh1t, those are 16.” “You think they’re under age, huh?” asks the first male voice. “Oh yeah,” says a third male voice, “I would put money on that.” The men continue their discussion for a bit before the first male voice says, “Yeah, those girls were young, man.” “I don’t know how wise it was to grab that girl’s bo0bs, though,” says the second male voice. “You didn’t get that on video or anything, did you?” asks the first male voice. In a statement to VICE News, Hutchinson wrote, “In regards to the undercover mission in Cabo San Lucas, 23 victims were liberated, and some very bad men are now in prison. Your reference to the trafficker testing our legitimacy is a non story. I have a sworn affidavit by the federal police saying she was over 18.” A description of a third video covers a February 28, 2016 phone call between Hutchinson and Matt Osborne. During the call, which took place on speakerphone and was filmed in a room with Hutchinson and several other men in it, Osborne talks to the videographer filming the call about the hard drive containing the footage he’s shot, at which point Hutchinson brings up the incident at the club. During the conversation he refers to himself in the third person as “Paul Stone”—a reference, according to Purdy’s description of the video, to the alias he used while undercover—and asks if he’s “gonna get in big trouble from the Mexican authority for touching a sixteen-year-old on film.” “When you get the hard drive I have to, I have to confess to something,” he says, according to a tr@nscript. “But I believe that it helped to make them, really believe that we weren’t a police officers in any way. Uh, (starts to laugh), so, so we uh, we, we we, were taken to the um to the strip club, (Paul laughs again as well as the man next to him.) K so, the very first time that V. was vetting is out and um he took us, he took us to the strip club, and, and, the, a owner of the strip club brought down the minors. And um, and V.’s the very first time V.’s shown us any minors, and, uh, brought down these minors well, well Paul Stone (referring to himself as the Undercover name he was going by) is standing there at the bottom of the stairs. A, these two girls working the strip club, these two minors come down. The owner of the strip club pulls up one of their shirts and grabs one of Paul Stone’s hand and places it on her breast and so it’s on the video. I just wanna find out if I’m gonna get in big trouble from the Mexican authority for touching a sixteen-year-old on film?” “Uh, is it clear that they pulled it, pulled your hand there?” asks Osborne. (In the copy of the description obtained by VICE News, this entire passage is highlighted and the word “LIE” is written next to it, with a margin note reading “PAUL PUTS BOTH HANDS ON VOLUNTARILY.” Those appear to be an investigator’s notes; the Davis County Attorney’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.) “It’s not clear on the video,” says Hutchinson. “I was standing on the side and he grabbed the hand from down on the right hand, on my right-hand side as he pulled up her shirt and put em up. (Paul then raised his hands, one his right hand while holding the phone and then raised his left hand in a motion of grabbing with his hand.) And so, we feel like and if, we were all there, and we all feel like, if I had hesitated, and oh yeah. I’m not really interested in touching that right now as he was pulling it up, I think it would have thrown up a lot of red flags. Um, but a, that is on the hard drive. I just wanted to run that by and see what your thoughts are.” “Yea I don’t think at this point that will be an issue, a maybe if it was the Mexican’s,” says Osborne. “And we’re sending it just the Mexicans. I don’t want this video to be to HSI, the U.S. Embassy because I’m sure, and I’ve done it before too one time, I’m sure that technically you guys probably entrap some of these people. Try not to, a yeah, and I’ve done it before accidentally. So, I’m just content that is not an issue.” A man sitting on a couch, according to the description, tells Hutchinson, “The only thing you have to do is not tell your bishop.” Hutchinson laughs. A final description of a video carries no reference to when or where it was taken. According to an investigator's notes, in the video, a trafficker is showing Hutchinson and a male associate photos of females on his phone. “Paul and the other male are joking that they are old, and saying 20, 22, 30, 40 years old. The trafficker says 16 and they ask him who? He replies he doesn’t know them but states these are the girls. “Paul pulls out his wallet and gives the guy $20. Then says, I’ll give you $100 just to see them. Paul states, ‘Mas Pequeno’ (meaning more small) as he is handing the trafficker the money. “They continue to see images of women on the traffickers’ phones of what appear, based upon Paul and other team members statements, to be adult women in their twenties and thirties. The traffickers try to say the girls are ‘16 or 17’ but Paul would say they look like they were 30 and continue to ask for younger girls.” The description ends with an account of the trafficker talking to two females “and telling then to go out and find ‘la mas chicas’ (the smallest) the more young you can find. La mas chicas. 16, 14, 15, he pay you in dollars.”

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Tim Ballard’s Departure From Operation Underground Railroad Followed s3xual Misconduct Investigation “O.U.R. is dedicated to combatting s3xual abuse, and does not tolerate s3xual harassment or discrimination by anyone in its organization,” the organization tells VICE News. Tim Ballard’s exit from Operation Underground Railroad earlier this year followed an investigation into claims of s3xual misconduct involving seven women, according to sources with direct knowledge of the organization. Sources familiar with the situation said that the self-styled anti-slavery activist, who appears to be preparing for a Senate run, invited women to act as his “wife” on undercover overseas missions ostensibly aimed at rescuing victims of s3x trafficking. He would then allegedly coerce those women into sharing a bed or showering together, claiming that it was necessary to fool traffickers. Ballard, who was played by Jim Caviezel in the hit film Sound of Freedom, is said to have sent at least one woman a photo of himself in his underwear, festooned with fake tattoos, and to have asked another “how far she was willing to go,” in the words of a source, to save children. These sources requested anonymity because they fear retaliation. The total number of women involved is believed to be higher than seven, as that would only account for employees, not contractors or volunteers. One source close to OUR has detailed knowledge of Ballard making s3xual advances to a volunteer using methods similar to those he allegedly used with OUR employees. Those methods are also consistent with his conduct toward another former volunteer who spoke to VICE News. In response to a detailed request for comment, a spokesperson for Operation Underground Railroad told VICE News: Tim Ballard resigned from O.U.R. on June 22, 2023. He has permanently separated from O.U.R. O.U.R. is dedicated to combatting s3xual abuse, and does not tolerate s3xual harassment or discrimination by anyone in its organization. O.U.R. retained an independent law firm to conduct a comprehensive investigation of all relevant allegations, and O.U.R. continues to assess and improve the governance of the organization and protocols for its operations. To preserve the integrity of its investigation and to protect the privacy of all persons involved, O.U.R. will not make any further public comment at this time. O.U.R. is confident in its future as the leading organization committed to combatting s3x trafficking and saving children who have been captured and sold into slavery. The information from the sources with direct knowledge of OUR corroborates an anonymous letter that’s been circulating in the Utah philanthropic community for the past several months, which accuses Ballard of s3xual harassment. VICE News first reported on the letter in July; the journalist Lynn Packer published it in full on Sunday. “Several weeks ago, an OUR employee who accompanied Tim on an undercover operation filed a s3xual harassment complaint against him with OUR’s HR department,” the letter, which was sent this summer to donors to anti-trafficking causes, reads. “This resulted in an extensive internal investigation into Tim and his individual operational tactics and led to more women speaking up as part of the investigation process. “It was ultimately revealed through disturbingly specific and parallel accounts, that Tim has been deceitfully and extensively grooming and manipulating multiple women for the past few years with the ultimate intent of coercing them to participate in s3xual acts with him, under the premise of going where it takes and doing ‘whatever it takes’ to save a child.” The letter further said that OUR’s board and lawyers had made agreements preventing executives from discussing the circumstances of Ballard’s exit from the organization he founded, making it “virtually impossible for them to defend the organization against Tim’s false narratives.” The author or authors of the letter did not respond to requests for comment. An OUR spokesperson did not dispute what was in the letter when asked about it by VICE News In July, or respond further when told that reporters could only take this as confirmation of its accuracy. Women believed to be at the center of the investigation have not responded to requests for comment, or have declined to comment. People who know them say they fear retaliation and the effects scandal could have on OUR as it seeks to move on without Ballard—whom sources say is currently trying to work his way back into the organization. Ballard did not respond to requests for comment submitted through his personal website; that of his new organization, the SPEAR Fund; and through a spokesperson whom OUR previously told VICE News is his personal representative. Ballard, an ally of Donald Trump—he held an appointed post on a public-private anti-trafficking council in the Trump administration, and recently hosted the former president on his podcast—has said he’s strongly considering a run for the Senate seat set to be vacated by Mitt Romney. Speculation in the LDS community indicates that he’s planning to announce his bid on October 10. Last week, a spokesperson for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement to VICE News that contained a pointed rebuke of Ballard. The statement accused Ballard of inappropriately using the name of a church elder, President M. Russell Ballard—the two are not related, despite sharing a last name—“for Tim Ballard’s personal advantage and activity regarded as morally unacceptable.” The church did not specify in its statement what activity it regarded as “morally unacceptable.” Over the weekend, Ballard responded to VICE News’ reporting by giving an impassioned speech to a small crowd in Boston in which he said, “It’s not true, nothing you hear is true.” He also said he outright did not believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints condemned him in a statement issued to VICE News—something that did in fact happen, as has been confirmed by multiple Utah news outlets.

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LDS Church takes down articles promoting Tim Ballard, Operation Underground Railroad Removed the same day of Church issuing a statement condemning Ballard for "morally unacceptable" behavior SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has removed articles promoting Tim Ballard and the nonprofit he founded, Operation Underground Railroad (OUR). The removals occurred on the same day of the Church releasing a statement citing betrayal and condemning Ballard for “morally unacceptable” behavior. The statement was in response to documents obtained by VICE News, detailing a criminal investigation into Tim Ballard and his nonprofit; “Tim is fully convinced that he is supposed to be the ‘Mormon Messiah and lead people back to the church.’” The documents reportedly outline how prosecutors believe Ballard communicated with a psychic to speak to the prophet Nephi "to get intel" on how to rescue children. OUR was reportedly under criminal investigation for communications fraud and witness tampering, and at least a portion of that investigation has concluded. The Church’s condemnation of Ballard was released to several media outlets but was not posted on the Church’s official website. In a video obtained by FOX 13 News on Saturday, Ballard stated he did not believe the condemnation was accurate or truly came from the Church. “I don’t believe the Church did this,” he said in the video. “I truly don’t. Can you imagine that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints would publicly condemn one of its members?” The Church’s statement was sent directly to FOX 13 News by Doug Anderson from his official ChurchOfJesusChrist.org email address. Anderson has been the Director of Media Relations for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for nearly 15 years, according to his LinkedIn profile. “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints never endorsed, supported or represented OUR, Tim Ballard or any projects associated with them," the statement reads. An article published by the Church entitled “Saving Children: Tim Ballard and Operation UndergroundRailroad” was last seen online on Friday, September 15, 2023. By Saturday, the Church article forwarded to a page stating: “Page Not Found.” A website archiving service known as the WayBack Machine took screenshots of the article before it was removed. “Tim Ballard has clear blue eyes – piercing, in fact – eyes that have seen far more trouble and fear than you or I probably ever will,” the article begins. “But his eyes have also seen immeasurable amounts of gratitude and hope from the innocent young victims he has helped rescue from the horrors of s3x slavery.” Ballard is quoted in the article stating: “There’s no question in my mind that this is the Lord’s work and that we are His hands. This is so important because it’s so important to the Lord... The Atonement heals all. It’s our job in the meantime to serve especially the downtrodden and the suffering, to liberate the captive.” The Church article goes on to link to the nonprofit’s website for information about a new full-length documentary promoting OUR. It also links to a “recent episode of Mormon Channel Daily” in which Ballard was interviewed, but that link also appears to no longer be active, instead redirecting to a home page. The Church article refers to Ballard as “a former CIA operative.” For years, questions have surrounded Ballard’s actual role with the CIA. His Twitter bio states: “Former CIA & DHS: Undercover Operator.” In an interview with FOX 13 News in February, Ballard clarified his role with the CIA was simply behind the scenes, as an analyst. “It wasn’t operational stuff. It was an analyst/ officer position. It wasn’t, like, hands on,” Ballard said. “All the cool stuff I ever did was with (Homeland Security).” Glenn Beck, one of Ballard's partners, indicated on social media that Ballard had been "effectively excommunicated" from the Church "through ambiguous, but unquestionably damning statements" without being given "adequate notice" or the ability to respond.

i told ya'll this train was running

never forget the people who promoted this lie of a movie and the culture it represents

mormons are funny, they'll throw humans away, but won't accept any "immoral behavior" as if having one of the worst homeless problems in America is moral behavior lol

These dudes. They tell on themselves. Every. Single. Time. Without fail.

Y'all on here caping for this movie are looking reallllllll crazy right now.

Too long, didn't read

Sounds like one of those articles where the headline is totally different than what's in the article

I call cap

No matter how many times OP bumps the thread;

God's Children Are Not For Sale

a republican accusation is always a confession.

I am not shocked what so ever.

But….but duh democratz

But….but pronouns

But….but we gotta protect deh children

These types are pathetic. Funny how they never talk about child trafficking as it relates to labor, which is a large part of trafficking, but then they can’t paint a narrative.

...it's like when child mos become gym teachers.

kamal1978 said 🔗 Too long, didn't read Sounds like one of those articles where the headline is totally different than what's in the article I call cap

How would you know...if you didnt read?

No surprises.

kamal1978 said 🔗 I call cap

i call blind faith backed by an ignorant refusal to read and investigate for yourself

Pure projection from them folks as per usual

kamal1978 said 🔗 Too long, didn't read Sounds like one of those articles where the headline is totally different than what's in the article I call cap

It is. Long a$s story just to say the guy played along undercover. Now he actually did it but I think anybody would do what they gotta do to not get caught during a sting.

Not excusing it but I doubt anybody is actually gonna read before they create a narrative.

yola said 🔗 ↪🔗

Sound like a groomer reach, death to all ped0philes.

These are mmmhmm problems , I don’t care. I’m talking bout the whole “ sound of freedom” thing

I’ll tell u I’m willing to bet the powers that be at them film companies disney etc knew all of this and that why the film ain’t get funded like that.

Had nothing to do with a ped0 cabal in Hollywood the man behind was the ped0 perp

If i know one thing about Vice and their articles whether it be drugs or sneaking into countries; they're gonna get a story.

kamal1978 said 🔗 Too long, didn't read Sounds like one of those articles where the headline is totally different than what's in the article I call cap

How you gonna call cap on some sh1t you didn't even read? Lmao

Cue the smooth brain Republicans to cape for the movie still

Ignoring the evidence provided directly to their face

"But but muh childrins"

Reminds me of the Russell Brand allegations this week

Somehow these people are incapable of committing any crimes and always 100% framed

Like Russell Brand wasn't kicked out of the UK prior to Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him To The Greek for abhorrent behavior

Fatt Kidd said 🔗 It is. Long a$s story just to say the guy played along undercover. Now he actually did it but I think anybody would do what they gotta do to not get caught during a sting. Not excusing it but I doubt anybody is actually gonna read before they create a narrative.

I read it… and if you’re talking about the part I think you are… you’re either a fu#king ret@rd or full of sh1t.

Sources familiar with the situation said that the self-styled anti-slavery activist, who appears to be preparing for a Senate run, invited women to act as his “wife” on undercover overseas missions ostensibly aimed at rescuing victims of s3x trafficking. He would then allegedly coerce those women into sharing a bed or showering together, claiming that it was necessary to fool traffickers.

This is NOT the exoneration you think it is

Fatt Kidd said 🔗 It is. Long a$s story just to say the guy played along undercover. Now he actually did it but I think anybody would do what they gotta do to not get caught during a sting. Not excusing it but I doubt anybody is actually gonna read before they create a narrative.

Bingo