The US Department of Justice has launched a federal civil rights investigation into Washington state’s policy of housing biological males in the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW), following mounting allegations of sexual abuse, harassment, intimidation, and violence against female inmates.
In a letter sent Tuesday to Governor Bob Ferguson, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon announced that the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division is formally investigating whether the Washington Department of Corrections (WDOC) has engaged in a “pattern or practice” of violating the constitutional rights of female prisoners housed at the Gig Harbor facility.
The investigation comes after years of controversy surrounding Washington’s gender-based prison housing policies and multiple lawsuits alleging women were forced to live with violent male offenders who identified as female.
BREAKING: The DOJ has notified Gov Bob Ferguson of a federal investigation into the state’s practice of housing men in women’s prison & whether WA engages in violating the constitutional rights of female prisoners at the WA Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor. pic.twitter.com/cJvQ9zvKKt
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) May 19, 2026
“Our investigation is based on information that WCCW has failed to protect female prisoners from sexual and physical violence, harassment, voyeurism, and intimidation from male prisoners who identify as female and who WDOC has housed at WCCW,” the DOJ wrote.
Assistant Attorney General Dhillon said, “Under my leadership, the Civil Rights Division will not allow women incarcerated in jails or prisons to be subject to unconstitutional risks of harm from male inmates. The constitutional rights of women cannot be sacrificed at the altar of appeasing unsupported and dangerous ideologies.”
Interim US Attorney Neil Floyd for the Western District of Washington added: “Washington State must protect women inmates from the inherent dangers of incarcerating them with biological men. Our Constitution protects the civil rights of every American, including women who are in prison and forced by the State of Washington to live with male inmates.”
The federal probe will examine whether Washington violated female inmates’ Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment by exposing them to alleged sexual assault, rape, voyeurism, and intimidation. The DOJ said it will review DOC policies and practices under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA).
The investigation follows several high-profile incidents involving trans-identifying male inmates housed at WCCW under policies implemented in 2020 by former Governor Jay Inslee’s administration. Under those rules, male inmates may be transferred into women’s prisons if approved through a DOC gender dysphoria review process.
One of the most controversial cases involved Christopher Scott Williams, a 6-foot-4 biologically male inmate with convictions for child molestation and violent assault. Williams was transferred into WCCW in 2021 despite previously being denied placement because of his documented history of violence against women.
Female inmate Mozzy Clark-Sanchez later filed a federal lawsuit alleging Williams repeatedly sexually assaulted and harassed her after prison officials forced them to share a cell. According to the lawsuit, Williams groped her while she slept, masturbated in front of her, threatened sexual violence, and continued intimidating her even after she filed complaints under the Prison Rape Elimination Act.
Williams was quietly transferred back to a men’s prison in 2025 after years of allegations and public scrutiny.
Another female inmate, Faith Booher-Smith, alleged that Williams violently attacked her inside the women’s prison in August 2025. According to reports, Williams allegedly grabbed Booher-Smith from behind, slammed her to the ground, punched and kicked her repeatedly, and stomped on her while corrections officers failed to intervene. Booher-Smith suffered visible injuries including facial bruising and swelling.
Independent Women’s Features reported that prison officials were already aware of Williams’ violent behavior before the assault occurred.
“This 6’4”, fully intact man, who had been convicted of sex crimes against a child, was able to allegedly grab Booher-Smith from behind, beat her, and stomp on her,” IW Features wrote in a commentary detailing the attack and broader concerns over Washington’s prison policies.
The DOJ investigation also follows another case involving trans-identifying inmate Amber FayeFox Kim, formerly Bryan Kim, who was transferred out of WCCW after allegedly being caught having sex with a female inmate. Kim is serving a life sentence for murdering his parents.
Documents previously obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI reportedly showed that as of October 2023, Washington housed approximately 62 trans-identifying biological males in women’s prisons, including convicted rapists and child molesters. The documents allegedly included substantiated complaints of inmate-on-inmate sexual harassment and abuse.
Critics say Washington officials repeatedly ignored warnings from inmates, advocates, and corrections staff about the dangers posed by the policy.
The America First Policy Institute previously stated that it documented dozens of internal complaints from female inmates alarmed by the placement of biological males inside women’s housing units.
Meanwhile, separate investigations into WCCW uncovered additional allegations of misconduct and policy violations inside the prison, including improper uses of force, failures to protect inmates, and prolonged isolation practices.
Despite mounting criticism and a statewide budget crisis, Washington DOC recently posted a six-figure job opening for a “Gender Affirming Medical Specialist” for inmates. The state has also spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on gender reassignment surgeries, hormone therapies, and other transgender-related medical procedures for prisoners.
