Tim Ballard
and
Operation Underground Railroad
Manipulate Psychological Vulnerabilities, Beliefs, & Act Against Best Interest
There are many people who have donated or been involved with Tim Ballard and OUR since it began. Most people’s loss involves money and time. There is however a smaller group that has more seriously been exploited. Seven women have filed lawsuits accusing Ballard of “sexual misconduct or assault” (Gehrke, 2024). Dr. Lisa Fontes explains that “abusers make their victims doubt what they know and establish the terms of reality to make their behavior seem acceptable or normal” (2021). The power of persuasion allows cult leaders to rapidly change people’s beliefs from what they used to hold, and from the broader society. Though Ballard primarily built on existing ideologies, his most destructive psychological manipulation entailed a strategy called “The Couple’s Ruse.” Ballard claimed that God gave him the idea of this technique with the purpose of fooling traffickers (Rasmussen, 2023). “The Couple’s Ruse” involves taking a woman on a “rescue mission,” to act as his wife or girlfriend. Ostensibly, this would protect Ballard from partaking in sex with the trafficked, because she could appear jealous.
Dr. Grant Sinnamon is an expert in criminal and antisocial behavior. He “presents a seven-stage model of the grooming process that explains the motivations and behavior of sexual predators when adult victims are targeted” (Sinnamon, 2017). Outlined below are several strategies employed by Ballard. To start out with, the “rescue missions” took place primarily in a different country, which created isolation and a dependency on Ballard (Rasmussen, 2023). Additionally, someone from OUR would prep the woman prior to the “operation,” telling her to trust Ballard, because he’s the expert (Rasmussen, 2023). In addition, Ballard told women that the previously mentioned church leader, M. Russell Ballard had blessed him and approved his tactics, as long as they were used to “rescue God’s children” (Rasmussen, 2023). Before going on the operation, Ballard would indicate to the woman that she needed to prove she was capable of acting the part. He would warn that women had failed in the past, resulting in a wasted rescue operation. Prior to an “operation,” he would sometimes take the woman to a strip club to “test her” (Rasmussen, 2023). She needed to prove she could turn him on. Ballard told his female partners that it was necessary to have sexual chemistry, because the traffickers could “smell it” (Weil, 2023). Moreover, the women had burner phones and were told they were being tracked, which likely created fear. Ballard questioned the women with, “How Far are You Willing to go to Rescue a Child?” (Merlan, 2023). He threatened that it was a life or death situation if they were not able to act out sex convincingly, and if she told anyone, it would endanger lives (Rasmussen, 2023). Ballard would coerce the woman who was his “Couple’s Ruse” partner into sharing a bed, sexual acts and showering together, claiming that it was necessary to fool traffickers, because they were always watching, even behind closed doors (Rasmussen, 2023).
How Did He do all this without the Power of the State?
Ballard is especially adept at curating relationships with those in power and with prestige. It is unsurprising then that Donald Trump and Tim Ballard were close associates. As president, Trump appointed Ballard to the White House’s anti-trafficking advisory board. Trump also hosted a private screening of the “Sound of Freedom” (Huynh, 2023). Additionally, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes has been one of Ballard’s closest friends. Reyes was on the board of OUR, was a producer of “Sound of Freedom,” an avid fundraiser and one of Ballard’s most devoted endorsers. He even participated in missions where Ballard was using “The Couple’s Ruse” (Rasmussen, 2023). As the highest law enforcement official in Utah, his endorsement lent credibility that Ballard’s tactics were legitimate (Harmer, 2023; Rasmussen, 2023). This certainly bolstered the confidence of other law enforcement officials, political figures and fans. It also contributed to the confusion and grooming of Ballard’s victims (Rasmussen, 2023). Reyes has been accused of witness tampering, intimidation and using his office to silence critics (Rasmussen, 2023). One of the current criminal investigations of OUR is being run by the Utah Attorney General’s office. Reyes promised to recuse himself, though his office will be involved in handling the investigation. Reyes stated that there is no conflict of interest even though the Utah Attorney General’s office accepted donations of approximately $1 million in the past from OUR (Winn, 2023, Rasmussen, 2023). On April 25, 2024, it came to light that the Utah County Sheriff’s office suppressed records after a request was made for police reports related to the criminal investigation of Ballard (Herbets, 2024). When questioning those involved, Ed Biehler of Utah’s State Records Committee asked “Can you explain why, in his initial request, he was told there were not any records and now there are records?” Although Ballard pulled off his con artistry and psychological manipulation without the power of the state, he certainly had the power of individuals with state positions.
Messiah or Con Man
Confidence is an important factor in persuading others. Research shows that “overly positive self-views help individuals convince others that they are more capable than they actually are” (Anderson, 2012). Ballard exuded confidence, perhaps to the point of “grandiose narcissism” (O’Reilly, 2021). Investigative reporter Molly Olmstead recounts that the lawsuit “portrays Tim Ballard as akin to a cult leader: paranoid, narcissistic, and prone to delusions of grandeur” (2023). Social scientists O’Reilly and Hall describe “Narcissism [as] a relatively stable individual difference characterized by grandiosity, self-confidence, risk taking, impulsiveness, an inflated view of one’s abilities, a sense of entitlement, low social empathy, and a willingness and ability to use others to achieve one’s own self-interest” (2021). Notably, Ballard specifically chose Jim Caviezel, who famously played Jesus Christ in “The Passion of the Christ” to play him in the “Sound of Freedom” (Toone, 2018). Ballard also commissioned artist Jon McNaughton to paint a scene paying homage to his efforts. The painting depicts Ballard, a white man, rescuing a black child with Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln and others looking on admiringly and even kneeling in reverence (McNaughton, n.d.). Some find it inspiring, while others feel it is offensive for reappropriating Black American history. Bradley Kramer expressed that “It steals the imagery and the power of the Underground Railroad narrative and transforms it into this Trumpian fantasy of brave, powerful white dudes rescuing black people from their squalor” (Fagg, 2017). There is in fact a body of research devoted to this very phenomenon, including, “The White Man’s Burden”: globalization of suffering, white savior complex, religion and modernity” and “Leisure and the “White-Savior Industrial Complex.” (Bandyopadhyay, 2019, Anderson, 2021).
Another show of power involves Ballard and other “operators” parading around in paramilitary gear. They engage in combat training “to prepare.” They also practice shooting guns. This visual tough guy presentation can serve as a cue that these are people who know what they are doing and can help make the world a safer place. It is noteworthy that they do not actually have any authority to make arrests in other countries, or in the US.
Unknown to most endorsers, Ballard employed a psychic who he paid approximately $5,000 a month, with additional fees. This income may have incentivized her to tell Ballard what he wanted to hear about his greatness and special status. It appears that intelligence for the “rescue missions” was primarily derived from the psychic’s readings and Ballard’s “downloads from God” (Marchman, 2023; Kemsley, 2023). These “missions” often involved going “undercover” in strip clubs, with the hope of spotting traffickers. The strategy was not very successful, according to some accounts (Rex, 2023). Ballard’s confidence and charisma has successfully recruited a multitude of individuals to his cause. It seems, however, that it was not enough. Some accounts indicate that Ballard saw himself as prophetic, visionary and destined for greater things. Recent disclosures indicate that Ballard “would get ketamine treatments [with a scribe to record his] prophecies about [his] greatness and future as a US Senator, President of the United States, and ultimately [lead The Church, ushering] in the second coming of Jesus Christ” (Rasmussen, 2023).
Robert Cialdini contends that “No leader can succeed without mastering the art of persuasion” (2001). He further adds that “sources of influence can be like dynamite–they can be used for good or used for ill” (2001). Tim Ballard appeared to be an explosive force for good. Scholars Von Hippel and Trivers warn that “Despite the cues that are available for the detection of deception, research on lie detection suggests that people perform poorly in detecting the deceptions of others” (2011). It can be difficult to realize that we have been deceived. Maria Konnikova suggests “our need to believe, to embrace things that explain our world, is as pervasive as it is strong. Given the right cues, we’re willing to go along with just about anything and put our confidence in just about anyone” (2016). Ballard commandeered a loyal following utilizing the tactics discussed in this paper. If Tim Ballard is not a full-blown cult leader, it seems that he was moving progressively in that direction. Fortunately it appears, his mission may have been averted.
Tune back in for updates…
References
Alexander, B. (2023, Aug 14). “Sound of Freedom” director Alejandro Monteverde addresses controversies: “Breaks my heart.” USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2023/08/14/sound-of-freedom-movie-controversies-director-speaks-out/70572650007/
Ambrosini, M. (n.d). Ending Child Sex Slavery. Melissa Ambrosini. Podcast. https://melissaambrosini.com/podcast/ending-child-sex-slavery-tim-ballard/
American Crime Journal. (n.d.). The Whiteboard Meeting. American Crime Journal website. https://americancrimejournal.com/acj-investigates/operation-underground-railroad-o-u-r/the-whiteboard-meeting/
Anderson, C., Brion, S., Moore, D. A., & Kennedy, J. A. (2012). A status-enhancement account of overconfidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 103(4), p.718.
Anderson, K. R., Knee, E., & Mowatt, R. (2021). Leisure and the “White-Savior Industrial Complex.” Journal of Leisure Research, 52(5), 531–550. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.2020.1853490
Angel Studios. (2023). Sound of Freedom. Official Trailer. YouTube. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
Ballard, T. (2019, Jan 29). I’ve fought sex trafficking as a DHS special agent – We need to build the wall for the children. Fox News Opinion. https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/ive-fought-sex-trafficking-as-a-dhs-special-agent-we-need-to-build-the-wall-for-the-children
Ballard, T. (2019, Jan 30). I’ve Fought Sex Trafficking as a DHS Special Agent – We Need to Build the Wall for the Children. Trump White House Archives. https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/timothy-ballard-ive-fought-sex-trafficking-dhs-special-agent-need-build-wall-children/
Ballard, T. (2020, July 12). Wayfair. Timballard89. Instagram.
Bandyopadhyay, R. (2019). Volunteer tourism and “The White Man’s Burden”: globalization of suffering, white savior complex, religion and modernity. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 27, 327 – 343. https://www-tandfonline-com.ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/doi/full/10.1080/09669582.2019.1578361
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497-529.
Beal-Cvetko, B. (2023, Sep 25). Investigative reports question whether ex-Operation Underground Railroad CEO misled donors. Deseret News. https://www.deseret.com/2023/9/25/23889696/investigative-reports-question-whether-ex-operation-underground-railroad-ceo-misled-donors/
Bond, S. (2023, July 19). QAnon supporters are promoting ‘Sound of Freedom.’ Here’s why. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/19/1188405402/qanon-supporters-are-promoting-sound-of-freedom-heres-why
Burleigh, Nina (2015, Dec 24). Inside The Fight Against Child Sex Trafficking. Maxim. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021.
Byrne Reilly, R. (2014, April 26). Tech startup Operation Underground Railroad is saving kids from human traffickers. VentureBeat. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2024. https://venturebeat.com/security/tech-startup-operation-underground-railroad-is-saving-kids-from-human-traffickers/
CBN. (2023, Jun 30). Operation Underground Railroad’: 6,000 Trafficking Victims Rescued, True Story Hits Big Screen. YouTube.
CBN News. (2023, July 6). The Miracles Are Insane’: Tim Ballard Tells Real-Life Stories That Inspired “Sound of Freedom.” CBN News.
Cherry, K. (2023, Nov 08). What Are Heuristics? These mental shortcuts can help people make decisions more efficiently. Very Well Mind.
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-heuristic-2795235
Cialdini, R. (2001). Harnessing the science of persuasion. Harvard Business Review, 75.
Cialdini, R. (2006, Dec 26). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Harper Business.
Conley, Meg. (2021, May 11). Called by God. In 2014, I went on a vigilante raid to “save” kids sold for sex. What we did haunts me now. SLATE. https://slate.com/human-interest/2021/05/sex-trafficking-raid-operation-underground-railroad.html
Docs.house.gov. (n.d.). Bio-Ballard T. https://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA16/20150514/103457/HHRG-114-FA16-Bio-BallardT-20150514.pdf
Efferson, C., Lalive, R., & Fehr, E. (2008). The coevolution of cultural groups and ingroup favoritism. Science, 321(5897), 1844-1849. DOI: 10.1126/science.1155805
Evans, J. (2021, Nov 24). Our Children Are Under Attack | Human Trafficking with Tim Ballard. The Bull. YouTube.
Fagg Weist, E. (2017, Dec 1). Controversial Utah artist’s new painting pays tribute to ‘contemporary abolitionists,’ but critics call it exploitative and culturally clueless. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/2017/12/01/controversial-utah-artists-new-painting-pays-tribute-to-contemporary-abolitionists-but-critics-call-it-exploitative-and-culturally-clueless/
Fontes, L. (2021, May 27). The Mind Control Tactics of Domestic Abusers. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/invisible-chains/202105/the-mind-control-tactics-domestic-abusers
Gagliardi, L. (2023). The role of cognitive biases in conspiracy beliefs: A literature review. Journal of Economic Surveys. https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/doi/full/10.1111/joes.12604
Gehrke, R. (2024, Jan 13). Tim Ballard faces four new criminal sexual assault complaints in California, attorney says. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/01/14/tim-ballard-faces-4-new-criminal/
Gehrke, R. (2024, Jan 14). Tim Ballard faces four new criminal sexual assault complaints in California, attorney says. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/01/14/tim-ballard-faces-4-new-criminal/
Genovese, D. (2020, Mar 6). Tony Robbins raises $18M for charity with 60th birthday bash. Fox Business. https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/tony-robbins-donations-birthday-charity
Godfrey, E. (2023, July 27). I Saw the Movie ‘They’ Don’t Want You to See
Sound of Freedom and the limits of culture-war marketing. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/07/sound-of-freedom-qanon-culture-war/674832/
Harmer, A. (2023, Nov 28). Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, Tim Ballard named in lawsuit alleging suppression of free speech. Deseret News. https://www.deseret.com/2023/11/28/23978653/utah-attorney-general-sean-reyes-tim-ballard-lawsuit-free-speech/#:~:text=Reyes%20participated%20in%20several%20OUR,access%20to%20other%20political%20leaders.
Hatch, H. (2023, Oct 6). Glenn Beck says he was ‘completely duped’ by close friend Tim Ballard. 2KUTV. https://kutv.com/news/local/conservative-talk-show-host-glen-beck-says-he-was-completely-duped-by-close-friend-tim-ballard-the-glenn-back-program-operation-underground-railroad
Henrich, J. (2015). The secret of our success: how culture is driving human evolution, domesticating our species, and making us smarter. Princeton University Press, p. 40.
Herbets, A. (2023, Sept 28). FULL DOCUMENTS: Tim Ballard lied to donors, according to ex-OUR employees. Fox 13. (Troy Rawlings Investigation. Closed). https://www.fox13now.com/news/fox-13-investigates/full-documents-tim-ballard-lied-to-donors-according-to-ex-our-employees
Herbets, Adam. (2023, Dec 9). Watch the FOX 13 investigations leading up to withdrawal of Utah AG Sean Reyes. Fox13. https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/fox-13-news-investigations-detailed-deep-connections-between-reyes-and-ballard
Herbets, A. (2023, Nov 15). Operative or intern? Tim Ballard’s story of working for the CIA keeps changing. Fox 13. https://www.fox13now.com/news/fox-13-investigates/operative-or-intern-tim-ballards-story-of-working-for-the-cia-keeps-changing
Herbets, A. (2024, Mar 11). Texts between Sean Reyes and Tim Ballard raise questions about criminal investigation. Fox13. https://www.fox13now.com/news/fox-13-investigates/texts-between-sean-reyes-and-tim-ballard-raise-questions-about-criminal-investigation
Herbets, A. (2024, April 25). State Records Committee ‘disgusted’ by Utah Co. Sheriff’s Office withholding Tim Ballard criminal report. Fox13. https://www.fox13now.com/news/fox-13-investigates/state-records-committee-disgusted-with-utah-county-sheriffs-office-for-withholding-tim-ballard-criminal-investigation-report
Horn, T. (2023, July 12). The Perverted Critics of Sound of Freedom. Catholic Answers. https://www.catholic.com/audio/cot/the-perverted-critics-of-sound-of-freedom
House Hearing. (2015, May 14). A Pathway to Freedom: Rescue and Refuge for Sex Trafficking Victims. U.S. Government Publishing Office. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-114hhrg94608/html/CHRG-114hhrg94608.htm
Hunter, A. (2024, Apr 13). Discussion of OUR Volunteers. L. Reeves Interviewer. Personal Communication.
Hutchinson, P. (2023, Dec 14). The Story of My Separation from O.U.R. and Tim Ballard 5 Years Ago. Liberating Humanity Podcast. YouTube.
Hutchinson, P. (2023, Dec 18). The Truth About Tim Ballard Is Finally Coming Out. Liberating.humanity. Instagram.
Huynh, A. (2023, Jul 19). Trump Promotes ‘Sound of Freedom,’ a Conservative Hit About Child Predators. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/19/us/politics/trump-sound-of-freedom.html
IMDbPro. (n.d.). Sound of Freedom. Box Office Mojo. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt7599146/#:~:text=The%20incredible%20true%20story%20of,hundreds%20of%20children%20from%20traffickers.
Jennings, A. (2024, Jan 29). Despite sex abuse allegations, Tim Ballard invited to speak at CPAC. ABC4. https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/tim-ballard-to-speak-at-cpac-in-washington-d-c/
Jordan, J. J., Hoffman, M., Bloom, P., & Rand, D. G. (2016). Third-party punishment as a costly signal of trustworthiness. Nature, 530(7591), 473-476.
Kabas, M. (2023, Jul 12). How Rolling Stone’s Miles Klee became an enemy of the QAnon Army. The Handbasket. https://thehandbasket.substack.com/p/how-rolling-stones-miles-klee-became
Kemsley, T. (2023, Oct 12). Tim Ballard appears to believe in psychics and reincarnation. Here’s what the LDS Church teaches. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2023/10/12/tim-ballard-appears-believe/
Konnikova, M. (2016). The Confidence Game: Why we fall for it… Every time. Penguin, p.5.
Lannaccone, L. R., & Berman, E. (2006). Religious extremism: The good, the bad, and the deadly. Public Choice, 128(1-2), 118.
Lord, C. G., Ross, L., & Lepper, M. R. (1979). Biased assimilation and attitude polarization: The effects of prior theories on subsequently considered evidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37(11), 2098-2109, p. 2098.
Marchman, T., Merlan, A. (2023, Sept 15). Mormon Church Denounces Tim Ballard’s “Morally Unacceptable” Activities. Vice News. https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvjypz/mormon-church-denounces-tim-ballards-morally-unacceptable-activities
Marchman, T., Merlan, A. (2023, Nov 16). A Private Island, Downloads From God, and the ‘Couple’s Ruse”: Inside the Dangerous World of Tim Ballard’s Operation Underground Railroad. Vice News. https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7ekzx/tim-ballard-sound-of-freedom-grooming-sexual-abuse-undercover-couples-ruse-operation-underground-railroad
McNaughton, Jon. (n.d.). The Underground Railroad Painting. McNaughton Fine Art Company. https://jonmcnaughton.com/underground/
Medium: Nonapplicable. (2021, Feb 24). I was trained by Operation Underground Railroad to be an undercover operative overseas. Here’s what they’re not telling you or their donors. Medium. https://nonapplicable39.medium.com/i-was-trained-by-operation-underground-railroad-to-be-an-undercover-operative-overseas-45db37fb1bd2
Merlan, A., Marchman, T. (2020, Dec 10). A Famed Anti-Sex Trafficking Group Has a Problem With the Truth. Vice News. https://www.vice.com/en/article/k7a3qw/a-famed-anti-sex-trafficking-group-has-a-problem-with-the-truth
Merlan, A., Marchman, T. (2023, Sept 6). Ex-Operation Underground Railroad Employees Said OUR Misled Donors, Lied to Public. Vice News. https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5y8pm/operation-underground-railroad-investigation-misled-donors-lied
Merlan, A., Marchman, T. (2023, Sep 18). Tim Ballard’s Departure From Operation Underground Railroad Followed Sexual Misconduct Investigation. Vice News. https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkaqvn/tim-ballards-departure-from-operation-underground-railroad-followed-sexual-misconduct-investigation
Merlan, A., Marchman, T. (2023, Sept 26). Ex-Operation Underground Railroad Employees Said OUR Misled Donors, Lied to Public. Vice News. https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5y8pm/operation-underground-railroad-investigation-misled-donors-lied
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.) The Fold. In Merriam-Webster. Dictionary. Last updated April 14, 2024. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20fold
Monteverde, A. (2023, July 4). Sound of Freedom. Film. Angel Studios.
NFL ESPN Countdown. (2018, Sept 30). Mike Tomlin joins the search to rescue trafficked children. ESPN. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liTHLjkAWAI
Olmstead, M. (2023, Oct 16). The Damning Details of the Lawsuit Against Sound of Freedom’s Hero. SLATE. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/10/tim-ballard-lawsuit-sound-freedom-lds-couples-ruse-trafficking.html
Operation Underground Railroad. (n.d.). 10 Years of Hope. Website. https://ourrescue.org/10-years-of-hope?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwz42xBhB9EiwA48pT74QvTsJR17LW0OvqcMqGGtbcGXhD2y2hmJTvOc2lTdfspQVaIlALZBoCuGQQAvD_BwE
O’Reilly C, Hall N. Grandiose narcissists and decision making: Impulsive, overconfident, and skeptical of experts-but seldom in doubt. Pers Individ Dif. 2021 Jan 1;168:110280. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110280. Epub 2020 Aug 14. PMID: 32834287; PMCID: PMC7427600. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7427600/
OUR (n.d.) Join Us in the Fight. Ways to be involved: club, volunteer, rep, fundraise, awareness. Website. https://store.ourrescue.org/
OUR. (2020, Sep 3). Abolitionists and the Underground Railroad. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/OURrescue/photos/a.1582633588641067/2783109468593467/?type=3&paipv=0&eav=AfbA1cF6AgstIMHXXFcHeyUbgTra1ZQuIjRHSZxNauj7V-yrE7j9g7MIl9-9V2QD6yQ&_rdr
The Post Millennial. (2023, July 14). Tim Pool matches viewer donations to raise $50,000 in minutes for Tim Ballard’s anti-human trafficking foundation. X Post.
Rasmussen, S. (2023, Oct 9). Tim Ballard, OUR Complaint, Alleging Sexual Abuse. Lawsuit. Court Documents. Third Judicial District Court. Salt Lake City. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24024796-tim-ballard-our-complaint-alleging-sexual-abuse
Rasmussen, S. Court Documents. (2023, Oct 10). Tim Ballard Second Lawsuit: Couples Ruse. Court Documents. Third Judicial District Court. Salt Lake City.
Rasmussen, S. (2023, Nov 2). Sean Reyes Witness Tampering and Intimidation. Court Documents. Third Judicial District Court. Salt Lake City. https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/51/05/6beb18d74504af701f9e5e578d00/0d5a9092199d4d4ba8d4bb7059ba307b.pdf
Rasmussen, S. (2023, Nov 20). Jordana Briee Righter: training left eye socket shattered. Court Documents. Third Judicial District Court. Salt Lake City.
Rasmussen, S. (2023, Nov 27). Whitehead vs. Reyes, Ballard, OUR: Lied to Donors. Court Documents. Third Judicial District Court. Salt Lake City. (Whitehead dismissed Reyes, Dec 19). https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24176125-1127-whitehead-vs-reyes-ballard-our
Rasmussen, S. (2023, Dec 6). Amended Complaint. Celeste Borys and Michael Borys. Court Documents. Third Judicial District Court. Salt Lake City. https://kutv.com/resources/pdf/85c2598b-f727-4b23-a922-0b3522dc5b23-AmendedBallard.pdf
Reill, A. (2023, Dec 5). A Simple Way to Make Better Decisions. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/12/a-simple-way-to-make-better-decisions#:~:text=The%20average%20adult%20makes%2033%2C000,Writing%20or%20journaling%20can%20help.
Rex, J. (2023, Sept 23). My feelings about Tim Ballard & OUR from somebody that was there… The Jimmy Rex Show. You Tube.
Rex, J. (2023, Oct 11). Is Tim Ballard Ruined? His Colleague Speaks Out. Creepygreentoks. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@creepygreentoks/video/7288709051402161450
Romano, A. (2023, Sep 18). Sound of Freedom wants to raise awareness about child trafficking. Here’s what it’s really doing. Vox. https://www.vox.com/culture/23794355/sound-of-freedom-controversy-true-story-qanon
Senate Judiciary. (2019, Mar 6). Oversight of Customs and Border Protection’s Response to the Smuggling of Persons at the Southern Border. U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/committee-activity/hearings/oversight-of-customs-and-border-protections-response-to-the-smuggling-of-persons-at-the-southern-border
Schott, B. (2023, Sept 15). In rare public rebuke, LDS Church condemns Tim Ballard’s ‘morally unacceptable’ behavior. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/09/15/rare-public-rebuke-lds-church/
Siemaszko, C. (2023, Sept 19). “Sound of Freedom” inspiration Tim Ballard resigned from child rescue group after misconduct reports.” NBC. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/tim-ballard-resigned-operation-underground-railroad-reports-sexual-mis-rcna105835
Sinnamon, G. (2017). Chapter 16 – The Psychology of Adult Sexual Grooming: Sinnamon’s Seven-Stage Model of Adult Sexual Grooming. In The Psychology of Criminal and Antisocial Behavior (pp. 459–487). Elsevier Inc. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809287-3.00016-X
Smith, W. (2023, July 7). “Sound of Freedom” Doesn’t Tell True Story of Operation Underground Railroad. Ministry Watch. https://ministrywatch.com/sound-of-freedom-doesnt-tell-true-story-of-operation-underground-railroad/
Stackpole, T. (2015, July 22). The New Abolitionists. Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on May 16, 2016. https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/22/the-new-abolitionists-mexico-dominican-republic-human-trafficking-mormon-our/
Tiffany, K. (2021, Dec 9). The Great (Fake) Child-Sex-Trafficking Epidemic. The Atlantic. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/01/children-sex-trafficking-conspiracy-epidemic/620845/
Toone, T. (2018, June 4). Actor Jim Caviezel set to play second most important role in O.U.R. story “The Sound of Freedom.” Deseret News. https://www.deseret.com/2018/6/4/20646317/actor-jim-caviezel-set-to-play-second-most-important-role-in-o-u-r-story-the-sound-of-freedom/
U.S. Department of State. (n.d.). Biographic Information for Members of the Public-Private Partnership Advisory Council to End Human Trafficking. State.gov. https://www.state.gov/biographic-information-for-members-of-the-public-private-partnership-advisory-council-to-end-human-trafficking/
Von Hippel, W., & Trivers, R. (2011). The evolution and psychology of self-deception. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 34(1), 26-27.
Watters, J. (2023, July 5). Tim Ballard shares how ‘Sound of Freedom’ shines light on a global criminal enterprise. Jesse Watters Primetime. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/video/6330650251112
Watters, J. (2023, July 11). Tim Ballard: Pedophiles ‘salivating’ at media outlets ripping “Sound of Freedom.” Fox News. YouTube. https://www.foxnews.com/video/6331029796112
Weil, C. (2023, Oct 6). Blaze News investigates: What really happened with Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad? Blaze Media. https://www.theblaze.com/news/blaze-news-investigates-what-really-happened-with-tim-ballard-and-operation-underground-railroad
Wilson. (2013, Nov 12). Glenn explains how an undercover federal agent opened his eyes to the horrors of child sex trafficking. Glenn. https://www.glennbeck.com/2013/11/12/glenn-explains-how-an-undercover-federal-agent-opened-his-eyes-to-the-horrors-of-child-sex-trafficking/
Winn, K. (2023, Oct 9). Lawsuit filed by women against former OUR CEO Tim Ballard claims he used funds for ‘personal fantasies.’ KUTV. https://kutv.com/news/local/lawsuit-filed-by-five-women-against-former-our-ceo-tim-ballard-on-accusations-of-sexual-misconduct-operation-underground-railroad-couples-ruse-sean-reyes-president-ballard-church-officials-donald-trump-senate-run
The Little Stream: Where Soul Meets Society — Reflections on Well-Being, Religion, and Power 
Leave a comment