Reps. Mike Soboleski (R-Philips), Katerina Smith (R-Palermo), and Alicia Collins (R-Sidney) visited the Maine Correctional Center on Friday and spoke with Katie Mountain, an inmate who previously told The Maine Wire that she had been threatened and sexually assaulted by trans-identifying male murderer Andrew Balcer.
“This guy, Balcer, he is an agitator, a predator . He’s mean. He’s constantly trying to amuse himself at their cost and sexual innuendo, rubbing his erection against her, you know, just really being obnoxious and abusive. And that seemed to be the major, major complaint,” said Rep. Soboleski, speaking with The Maine Wire.
“I am amazed at the cold hard truth that was reiterated to us in personal stories today; that prison officials have chosen to protect a man over the safety of many women. These women have lived in fear of unwanted sexual advances and unhealthy behavior in their private spaces when they should be safe. The bottom line: these MEN need to go. I told the women we met with today that we are fighting for them and we will not stop until change happens. This abuse has to end,” said Rep. Smith in comments provided to The Maine Wire.
The three representatives made their visit to the prison after The Maine Wire published a shocking letter sent to us by Mountain.
In that letter, Mountain alleged that she had been forced to share a cell and even a bed with Balcer, a 310 lb. man who was convicted of murdering his parents and dog with a knife in 2017. In 2022 he announced that he identified as a woman, and Maine Department of Corrections (MDOC) Commissioner Randall Liberty allowed him to transfer into the women’s prison.
Mountain said that she was forced to endure threats, sexual comments, and even alleged sexual assault from Balcer when he cornered her in a bathroom and forced kisses on her before she could escape. She claimed that she was disciplined when she eventually complained about Balcer’s conduct.
The MDOC granted the three representatives two so-called “privileged visits” to the prison, where they were able to meet with Mountain, who detailed the alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of Balcer.
Mountain told Sobolseki that she had been eligible for pre-release, which would allow her to serve out the rest of her sentence outside the prison and away from Balcer, but that she lost that opportunity after she complained about Balcer’s conduct.
According to Soboleski, Mountain has ten more weeks to serve out in the prison.
After speaking to Mountain, Soboleski spoke with another inmate, Jennifer Albert, who also claimed to have been abused by Balcer.
Both Albert and Mountain signed forms allowing the release of their records, including any grievances filed by or against them. They said that, while neither of them has much longer to serve in jail, they hope that by releasing their information and telling their stories, they will be able to help protect future inmates from suffering the same alleged abuses.
Soboleski is waiting for the MDOC to provide those records, which will likely shed more light on the situation inside the prison.
During his visit, Sobolseki asked to meet with Balcer, but was told that he could not due to potential security and safety issues, though prison officials did not elaborate on the alleged issues.
He also requested a meeting with MDOC Director of Government Affairs Jill O’Brien, but that request was denied.
During his first visit, Soboleski was able to speak with Warden Ben Beal for an extended period of time. According to Soboleski, Beal was “tight lipped” on the issue of Balcer’s conduct and avoided direct questions under the guise of privacy.
The representatives’ most recent visit came on the same day that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it is launching an investigation into Maine over its practice of housing trans-identifying males alongside women.
The DOJ is investigating whether Maine has violated the civil and constitutional rights of female inmates by forcing them to be housed alongside men despite the reports of harassment and sexual assault.
“I am thankful the DOJ is coming to Maine to help investigate the serious allegations of constitutional violations at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham. This issue isn’t going away. We will continue to work to protect female inmates from abuse as long as they are housed with biological males,” said Rep. Collins in a statement provided to The Maine Wire.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the civil rights of all Maine citizens, no matter where they live, and will work with our colleagues in the Civil Rights Division to ensure that this vulnerable population is protected from harm while housed in state custody,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine Andrew Benson.
While the DOJ’s announcement appears to be a win for sanity and an important move towards protecting women, it remains to be seen whether the department will actually follow through and take meaningful action against the MDOC.
Last April, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the MDOC would be losing its non-essential federal funding due to its policy regarding trans-identifying inmates.
However, The Maine Wire revealed earlier this month that the funding was quietly restored in June, despite the MDOC making no policy changes. After more than two weeks, the DOJ has still not responded to a request from The Maine Wire that they explain the decision to restore funding to the MDOC.
