In a turn of events that intertwines the cinematic portrayal with real-life implications, Kely Suarez, the woman who previously sued over her depiction in the film "Sound of Freedom," has been convicted of pimping in Colombia. Suarez had taken legal action against Tim Ballard and production company Angel Studios for what she claimed was a defamatory portrayal in the movie, which was a significant box office hit in the United States in 2023.
Accused in the movie of being a perpetrator of child trafficking, Suarez's lawsuit against Ballard pointed out that at the time of the legal filing, she had not been convicted of any crime following a police raid. According to FOX13, following the recent verdict in Colombia, she now faces up to 20 years in prison. The outcome has seemingly reinforced Ballard's stance, as he remarked that the conviction underscores the importance of his work in safeguarding children and continues to discredit lawsuits against him.
Despite the conviction, Suarez's legal team remains firm in their stance, indicating that her guilt is not the reason for her conviction. They argue that the conviction was manipulated through the use of donor funds by Ballard to secure a purportedly righteous verdict. As reported by ABC4, Suarez's attorneys claim that Ballard had boasted about traveling to Colombia to "ensure the conviction," pointing to this as evidence reinforcing the defamation suit.
Further complicating the narrative, Suarez's lawsuit claims that she was mistakenly identified during a sting operation by the organization Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), where she was merely a guest at a party, not an organizer. However, a spokesperson for Ballard has previously countered this claim, providing footage purported to show Suarez at one of the planning meetings for the illicit activities. Speaking on the conviction, Ballard expressed that it "proves the value of our work to protect innocent children and continues an unbroken string of failures in cases against me," as noted by NewsNationNow.
