Two women say deputy sexually assaulted them

A Fannin County woman and a Montgomery County woman are suing over claims they were sexually assaulted while inmates under transport between facilities.

Debra Thomas and Natalie Davis filed a lawsuit Oct. 8 in the Sherman Division of the Eastern District of Texas against Community Education Centers Inc.; Fannin County, Texas; Greg Garrison; and William Clifford Isaacs.

According to the complaint, Thomas was released to a lone male officer, Isaacs, by defendant CEC, the private prison company contracted to manage the Fannin County Jail, for transport from the jail to a unit in Dayton, Texas, on Oct. 9, 2012. The complaint states Isaacs uncuffed her, placed her in the front seat, and, while on duty, made several sexual advances on Thomas and then fondled her intermittently throughout the six-hour transport despite her pleas to stop. Thomas says she feared retribution from the armed sheriff's deputy, and shortly before they reached the destination, he handcuffed her again and put her in the back seat.

According to the lawsuit, Natalie Davis was released into Isaacs' custody by defendant CEC on Dec. 19, 2012, for transport from Fannin County Jail to a court hearing in Bonham, Texas. Davis says Isaacs uncuffed her, put her in the front seat, and ordered her to perform oral sex on him under threat of the use of his firearm.

The complaint states Isaacs made special arrangements to find himself alone with both women. Thomas says she reported the incident to her counselor, but nothing occurred until the jail learned that Isaacs was the subject of a Texas Rangers investigation nearly a year later, and he was fired. Fannin County and Garrison, supervisor of defendant Isaacs, are accused of failing to protect the plaintiffs from harm and ensure national standard jail policies were adhered to, such as requiring two officers, one female for female inmates, to accompany transfers. Fannin County and Garrison are accused of failure to train or supervise, while CEC is accused of failure to train or supervise and negligence. Isaacs is accused of unreasonable seizure, substantive due process, and abuse of power.

Thomas and Davis are seeking compensatory and exemplary damages plus attorneys' fees and costs of court. They are being represented in the case by attorney Don Tittle in Dallas.

Sherman Division of the Eastern District of Texas case number: 4:14-cv-00648-ALM