Lawsuit alleges trans individual in women’s prison sexually assaulted cellmate

A transgender child molester at a women’s prison has been accused of sexually assaulting her cellmate. 

Former inmate Mozzy Clark-Sanchez, who was incarcerated at the Washington Corrections Center for Women, alleges that Christopher Scott Williams, who identifies as a woman, harassed and assaulted her during their time as cellmates. Clark-Sanchez accuses Williams of stalking her, making violent threats, and subjecting her to sexual harassment.

According to Clark-Sanchez’s federal lawsuit, Williams requested to be officially recognized as a female by the Washington state Department of Corrections so that he could be transferred to a women’s prison.

Williams had allegedly assaulted a male prison guard to the point that he was rendered unconscious, according to KIRO.

The state granted the request, and placed Williams in a cell with Clark-Sanchez, according to the suit against the Department of Corrections.

While sharing a cell, Clark-Sanchez claims that Williams, who occupied the top bunk, made sexual advances towards her, including threats of rape, leering at her in the shower, and persistently soliciting sex. It was reported by the New York Post that Williams even once tried to initiate sexual activity using a makeshift dildo.

‘Mr. Williams… would hover menacingly over Ms. Clark’s bunk with an erection while touching himself,’ the suit alleges, according to the publication.

‘He would also display his erection to Ms. Clark against the wall and gesture towards it, saying how much he wanted her.

Christopher Scott Williams, who identifies as a woman, has been accused of sexually assaulting her cellmate at a women’s prison in Washington

‘One night, Ms. Clark woke up and saw inmate Williams sitting on the floor next to her bed with his arms under her blanket, rubbing her genitals.’

Eventually Williams was moved to a separate cell, but allegedly proceeded to seek out Clark-Sanchez while she was in the shower or bathroom and make perverted comments from the next stall.

‘He also started threatening her with violence if she complained about him again,’ the suit alleges. 

It goes on to claim that prison officials ignored Clark-Sanchez’s concerns and discouraged her from filing official complaints.

The lawsuit also states that officials were aware of Williams’ prior sexual assault of a former female cellmate.

The prison maintained policies that Clark-Sanchez argues violate the constitutional rights of female inmates – including by housing biologically male prisoners with known histories of violence and sexual offenses in women’s facilities.

Arrest records obtained by the National Review show that at the age of 16, Williams sexually assaulted her nine-year-old sister by rubbing her buttocks and vaginal area over her clothing.

She was arrested and charged with first-degree child molestation in 2006 and pleaded guilty to third-degree assault with sexual motivation. 

‘Chris said that he knew what he did was wrong, but he could not help it,’ the police report allegedly reads. 

‘He said that his hormones were acting up. Chris said that [the child] was wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt.’

Mozzy Clark-Sanchez claims staff at the Washington Corrections Center for Women (pictured) ignored Clark-Sanchez’s concerns and discouraged her from filing official complaints

In a follow-up conversation with police, Williams’ father said she first molested her sister three years earlier, when the girl was just around six years old.

Williams was then convicted in 2009 and 2010 of failing to register as a sex offender.

In June 2012, Williams allegedly assaulted her girlfriend, and just a few months later, in September, Williams was accused of assaulting a male prison officer.

‘Williams stopped when he heard [the officer] “screaming like a little baby,”‘ a probable cause affidavit obtained by the National Review said.

‘He described [Officer] Barrett’s screams “like a death scream.”‘

The officer’s injuries included damage to his ear, which had to be cut open to relieve swelling, broken bones under his right cheek needing extensive stitching, a knocked out tooth and a nose so severely damaged it required emergency surgery to reconstruct, the outlet reports.

She was then convicted of second-degree assault.

Clark-Sanchez is now seeking damages for emotional distress, humiliation and violations of her constitutional rights under the First, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments.

The Washington State Department of Corrections referred KIRO to its Transgender Housing Policy when asked for comment.

In the policy, an editor wrote: ‘The Washington State Department of Corrections strongly emphasizes the importance of inclusion and representation by recognizing the unique challenges that non-binary and transgender incarcerated people face.’

The department went on to say its policy ‘establishes procedures to ensure equitable treatment of transgender, intersex and/or gender nonbinary people during intake screening and determining housing, classification, programming and supervision.

‘All people under DOC’s care and custody are assessed upon intake if they self-identify as transgender, intersex and/or gender nonbinary, the policy provides detailed guidance on placement and programming.

‘DOC has developed a comprehensive housing assignment process to determine where an incarcerated individual is housed considering objective criteria that includes their gender identity.’

‘If a person identifies as transgender or nonbinary, they participate in a thorough mental health assessment, healthcare assessment and facility evaluation. Several multidisciplinary teams must review all requests for transfer for a final placement determination.’

The spokesperson said each application is assessed on a ‘case-by-case basis’, taking into account the safety of the individual and all others ‘who are housed at the facility.’ 

‘It is DOC’s position that a person’s right to safe and humane treatment does not change based on their gender identity,’ the department said.