A funder for ‘Sound of Freedom,’ a QAnon-adjacent film about child sex trafficking, has been charged with accessory to child kidnapping

• An investor for “Sound of Freedom” was charged with accessory to child kidnapping.
• The film has attracted controversy over its depiction of anti-child sex trafficking work and its connections to QAnon.
• Fabian Marta’s next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 28.

Police arrested an investor who helped bring “Sound of Freedom” to theaters last week. He was then charged with accessory to child kidnapping in connection to an incident earlier this month, according to court records.

“Sound of Freedom” is loosely based on the true story of Tim Ballard, a former Homeland Security agent who goes rogue to save children from sex traffickers. Ballard also founded the nonprofit Operation Underground Railroad, which critics say is a QAnon-adjacent anti-child trafficking charity.

The film has proved both popular and controversial for the questionable characterization of its lead protagonist, as well as the questionable beliefs of the actor who plays him, Jim Caviezel. In 2021, Caviezel claimed that human traffickers were harvesting adrenaline from children, a fringe conspiracy theory associated with QAnon, according to Vanity Fair.

Critics say the film misrepresents the reality of anti-child trafficking work. 

Kimberly Mehlman-Orozco, a sex trafficking expert, said the concept of sex trafficking of minors has been “mired with sensationalized and fictionalized stories” that allow people to use sex trafficking, or false claims of sex trafficking, to enrich themselves and gain attention, in a USA Today op-ed.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police arrested Fabian Marta on July 23 on a charge of accessory to child kidnapping, according to court records. Marta was released on a $15,000 bond. His next court hearing is set for Aug. 28.

Marta’s name appears in the credits of “Sound of Freedom” under “investors [who] helped bring Sound of Freedom to theaters,” according to Newsweek.

According to court records, the alleged kidnapping incident took place on July 21 but included few other details. 

An attorney for Marta did not immediately return Insider’s request for comment, but Marta’s attorney told E! News that “the charges are unfounded.”

“Mr. Marta had nothing to do with custodial kidnapping,” Scott Rosenblum told the outlet. “He was essentially a landlord.”

“Sound of Freedom” surprised critics by smashing box office projections, grossing more than $150 million so far. The film had a $14.5 million budget. Social media users have suggested that the film is using “astroturfing,” a practice of buying up hundreds of tickets to make theaters appear sold out, to inflate its success.

Several TikToks have gone viral showing “Sound of Freedom” theaters that were supposedly sold out completely empty once the movie begins. 

According to Inside Edition, the phenomenon can possibly be explained by an on-screen message after the film from Jim Caveizel asking patrons to scan a QR code and purchase more tickets to the film. 

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department did not immediately return Insider’s request for comment Saturday.