“Sound of Freedom”'s Tim Ballard Sues Former Miss Utah for Defamation After Her Sexual Assault Allegation

While his complaint states "the false claims have to stop," Amy Morgan Davis said in a statement, "I will not back down. I know the truth"

Tim Ballard, the man whose life was dramatized in the box-office hit Sound of Freedom, has countersued former Miss Utah Amy Morgan Davis — claiming she defamed him by alleging he sexually assaulted her.

Ballard, 53, is best known for launching the anti-child sex trafficking nonprofit Operation Underground Railroad (or OUR).

He stepped down from the group in 2023 amid accusations of wrongdoing from multiple women, which he has adamantly denied. Last year, multiple women also sued him.

Davis went public with her own allegations in The New York Times earlier this month. Ballard has not been charged with a crime.

The Times described Davis' account of Ballard's behavior as "escalating sexual advances that included caressing her body with his hands."

In a new complaint against Davis, filed in Utah on Tuesday, Sept. 24, and obtained by PEOPLE, Ballard says she falsely accused him and lied about their interactions and he was now "reluctantly" compelled to respond with a suit of his own.

"The false claims have to stop, and this lawsuit is intended to begin putting a stop to them," his complaint states. "It is likely that Mr. Ballard will soon be filing similar lawsuits against other false accusers."

Related: 'Sound of Freedom' Subject Tim Ballard Responds to Accusations of Sexual Misconduct

Ballard's suit paints a starkly different picture of his relationship with Davis and alleges she planned to attend an OUR training in October 2021 not to work with the group but "with hopes of seducing Mr. Ballard."

After Davis arrived at a planned training but did not attend, Ballard went to speak with her in her hotel room, according to his complaint.

"Davis had no good explanation for her lack of attendance, other than to claim she had been practicing on her own, and she spontaneously began 'demonstrating' her purported skills for Mr. Ballard," his complaint claims. "Her 'demonstration' soon became obviously personal, and as soon as Mr. Ballard understood Ms. Davis was attempting to seduce him, he rejected the attempt, separated from Ms. Davis and went down to the training conference room."

After that encounter, on Oct. 16, 2021, the complaint states that Davis was asked to leave.

Related: Paula Abdul Sues American Idol, SYTYCD Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe for Alleged Sexual Assault

"She also falsely claims now that she was sexually assaulted by Mr. Ballard during the time of the training," the complaint goes on to say. "Evidence is abundant to show this claim is also false."

Ballard included multiple text messages in his suit that he said are between him and Davis during two conversations, in 2021 and 2022, and allegedly show she privately continued to reach out to him despite now publicly saying he abused her.

Among the messages he excerpted in his complaint was a text in which, he said, Davis wrote that she "felt really comfortable" with him and also wrote: "I really respect and admire you and loved our connection."

In an answer to Ballard's complaint, obtained by PEOPLE, Davis pushed back on his claims, calling his defamation suit "retaliation [for] being held accountable for his sexual harassment, grooming, battery and assaults."

Related: Shangela Reportedly Accused of Sexual Assault by 5 People Days After Alleged Rape Lawsuit Is Dismissed

In a statement to PEOPLE, she said Ballard had allegedly been harassing her for speaking out and called his suit "a prime example of this despicable behavior."

"I will not be silenced. I will not back down. I know the truth, and I will continue to speak out against any injustices I have faced," she said.

"As a former Miss Utah, I have always strived to uphold values of virtue, integrity, honesty, and positivity. I have worked tirelessly to make a positive impact and set an example for others," Davis went on to say. "It is deeply disheartening to see these efforts undermined by false information and malicious intent, and I urge you to consider the source of these accusations and the lack of credibility behind them."

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In the answer to Ballard's complaint, Davis' attorney says Ballard misrepresented their text exchanges and had tried to pull her in as a partner in a "couples ruse," seemingly as part of his undercover work with OUR but really for his allegd "sexual gratification."

Davis is seeking to have his suit dismissed.

"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," her answer states. (Ballard has been accused in multiple lawsuits of asking women to accompany him to such locations.)

"Defendant declined," Davis' attorney wrote, "as she was uncomfortable."

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