On his fundraising page, Marta indicated that his arrest has “caused great harm to his reputation, his business and the movie Sound of Freedom.”
The now-dropped charges against Marta are one of a number of controversies that have surrounded “Sound of Freedom,” which has earned more than $230 million worldwide and raised awareness about child sex trafficking.
Shortly after the film’s release, some accused “Sound of Freedom” of promoting conspiracy theories, in part because of the fact that Jim Caviezel, the film’s star, is known to be associated with the QAnon community and has been vocal about his belief in conspiracy theories regarding a child trafficking ring run by American government elites, specifically Democrats.
However, the film’s makers have denied that the film is a dog whistle to the far right, arguing that the story is a faithful adaptation of real-life events.
Following the backlash from left-leaning media outlets, some audiences began reporting issues with their viewing experiences, which included complaints of faulty air conditioning and poor sound quality, leading to speculation that AMC was sabotaging the film.
Angel Studios denied the claims and came out in support of AMC, referring to the movie theater chain as “an outstanding partner.”
Last month, it was revealed that Tim Ballard, whose life the film portrays, was ousted from his anti-trafficking organization in June for alleged sexual misconduct.
Accusations against Ballard included the claim that he “invited women to act as his ‘wife’ on undercover overseas missions ostensibly aimed at rescuing victims of sex trafficking. He would then allegedly coerce those women into sharing a bed or showering together, claiming that it was necessary to fool traffickers.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which Ballard was previously a member, has officially condemned him for allegedly using his connections with church leaders in an “unauthorized” way for his own “personal advantage” and for allegedly engaging in “activity regarded as morally unacceptable.”
