CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A second woman has come forward and claimed to have been repeatedly abused and sexually assaulted by a court bailiff in Kanawha County while in custody awaiting court hearings.
The victim, identified as “CCV 2” in court documents claimed former Kanawha County Deputy and Bailiff Cass Close made unwanted advances toward her almost immediately after she was first brought to the Kanawha County courthouse and over the course of close to two years, from late 2023 until earlier this year, was assaulted and at times sexually assaulted by Close while in custody.
“This is someone who was groomed, then assaulted, and then sexually assaulted in a horrible way in a jail cell while she’s handcuffed. She’s completely at the mercy of this bailiff and then, when it’s over, the door is slammed shut with no help for her at all,” said Charleston Attorney Jesse Forbes.
Forbes and Attorney Dante DiTrapano represent the two women who have come forward with allegations against Close. The first claimed to have been sexually assaulted while held on the 7th floor awaiting a hearing. The incident occurred in Close’s office after she was removed from the cell according to the victim. The second defendant offered several claims of graphic encounters with the former deputy which happened on the first floor of the courthouse as she awaited a hearing in magistrate court on multiple occasions. Other allegations happened in the busy lobby area of the Judicial Annex.
“This all happened, in this case, right behind the Magistrate Court Day Court bench in the holding area. Then it continued for months and months and months. Every time she was brought into the courthouse he exploited her and abused her,” said Forbes.
The victim was in court dealing with charges tied to substance abuse and was struggling mentally because of her ongoing issues. Forbes claimed in the civil filing made Monday in Kanawha County Circuit Court, Close took advantage of vulnerable condition.
Forbes added he doubts these are the only two victims.
“The almost ‘comfort’ with which he acted with the initial victim that came to light raises a lot of questions,” he said.
Close was immediately arrested after the first victim made her complaint and was immediately fired from his job.
Close remains held in Southwestern Regional Jail on $100,000 bail. He waived his preliminary hearing on the criminal charges.