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Legislators urge answers after testimony alleging sexual harassment, segregation at Windham women's center
Summary
Representative Alicia Collins told the Government Oversight Committee that incarcerated residents at the Maine Correctional Center's women's unit alleged sexual harassment and that at least one complainant was moved to segregation; the committee unanimously voted to invite the Commissioner of Corrections and the facility warden to testify.
Representative Alicia Collins presented a letter signed by 22 legislators describing safety concerns at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham, focusing on allegations from resident Katie Mountain that a cellmate identified in testimony as Andrew Balser repeatedly harassed and inappropriately touched female residents.
Collins said the two visiting legislators she worked with observed that Mountain was placed in segregation with no privileges after filing grievances and that, despite multiple complaints, residents had received little follow-up. Collins read excerpts from a letter by Mountain describing incidents she characterized as threatening and sexually coercive and said staff had cited privacy rules and PREA procedures when declining to discuss specifics with reporters and legislators.
Committee members pressed Collins on details: whether Mountain remained incarcerated, whether segregation was used in response to complaints, and whether the Department of Corrections (DOC) had offered alternatives such as moving the alleged aggressor. Collins said she and others had requested meetings with Warden Ben Beal and Commissioner Liberty but that visits and records had been denied under DOC policy 21.4, procedure E, section 3, which the department said bars professional visits that would create a security risk.
The chair noted that a first amended federal complaint filed May 9, 2026, is pending in U.S. District Court and alleges that Maine statutes and DOC policies requiring affirmation of gender identity and related housing decisions have endangered female residents; the complaint seeks declaratory and injunctive relief and damages for plaintiffs who say their constitutional rights were violated.
Several legislators called for a departmental explanation about why the alleged predator remained in the women's unit and why residents who filed complaints were placed in restrictive housing. Senator Jeff Timberlake moved to invite Commissioner Liberty and Warden Bill to appear before the committee to answer questions; Representative Chad Perkins seconded. The motion passed unanimously. The chair directed staff to circulate a list of topics and questions in advance, with the chair reserving the right to limit questions that would conflict with the pending litigation.
The committee's action does not resolve the allegations; it advances oversight by requesting direct answers from department leadership and by recording the concerns so the committee can determine whether further legislative or investigatory steps are warranted. The federal litigation remains pending and may constrain what DOC officials can disclose publicly.
