A former inmate at the Multnomah County Jail alleges in court documents that former Deputy Edwin Diaz raped her and that the sheriff and other jail staff failed to intervene.
According to the filings, Diaz targeted the woman while she was dealing with mental illness and physically and sexually assaulted her after she threatened to report him.
The lawsuit claims Diaz intentionally sought shifts in the Alpha and Bravo units, which regularly housed female inmates with mental health conditions.
Shortly after the inmate arrived in April 2023, her attorneys say Diaz began giving her special attention by bringing food and drinks and arranging for her to become a trustee, granting her added privileges and freedom.
In March 2024, Diaz reportedly started writing romantic letters and slipping them into her cell. The following month, his behavior escalated when he kissed her, and she pulled away.
He then began finding ways to watch her while she showered, prompting her to threaten to report him if he did not stop.
According to the court documents, that same night he entered her cell, asked her to hand over notes, and attempted to kiss her again.
When she tried to pull away, he told her, “Don’t you ever disrespect me like that again,” then repeatedly slammed her head against a wall and forcibly raped her.
Her attorneys allege medical staff did not properly treat her bruised face after Diaz told them she “had a fit” and had attempted to harm another prisoner.
When she attempted to report the incident to Sgt. Kohn, whose first name was not provided, she claims he accused her of lying and said that “no guy with a job like that would touch a girl like you.”
Her attorneys further claim she faced retaliation, including being confined to a cell and not receiving pay for her work as a trustee.
The lawsuit alleges Diaz had a pattern of predatory behavior involving multiple victims and that another female prisoner reported in 2022 that he raped her.
Diaz was arrested in June 2025 and now faces 25 criminal charges, including three counts of sexual abuse, five counts of custodial sexual misconduct, and 17 counts of official misconduct.
A trial date in Diaz’s criminal case has not yet been set. Court records show he has a settlement conference scheduled for April 1.
According to records from the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, Diaz retired from the sheriff’s office in August 2025 after joining in 2017.
Attorneys Caitlin Mitchell and Kevin Yolken filed the lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland, requesting a jury trial.
The suit names Multnomah County, Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell, Edwin Diaz, Sgt. Kohn, and 10 John and Jane Does as defendants.
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