A convicted sex offender in Connecticut is now requesting transfer to the state’s only correctional facility for women after abruptly declaring an “intersex” identity. Brandy Wood, 28, has a lengthy history of sexual crimes against minors.
In 2015, Wood was convicted on two counts of risk of injury to a minor and second-degree sexual assault of a minor for “forcible sexual contact with a 15-year-old female.” He was released from custody and was on parole when he committed yet another offense against a minor.
On January 4, Wood pleaded no contest at the New London Superior Court to the charge of risk of injury to a minor.
Assistant State’s Attorney Theresa Anne Ferryman told the court on Wednesday that Wood, in the new criminal case, engaged in an inappropriate online relationship with a 13-year-old girl in Park City, Utah during the summer of 2021, as reported by local news outlet The Day.
Wood targeted the young girl through FaceTime, SnapChat, and a notorious video-chatting website frequently used by sexual predators called Omegle. According to police youth investigator Joseph Buzzelli, Wood sent pornographic videos and photos of himself to the victim and encouraged her to reciprocate by sending nude photos of herself.
Police said Wood masturbated in front of the girl and bought her presents, including a “full-body fur suit,” which were delivered directly to her home in Park City. The arrival of the fur suit was the incident that first alerted the victim’s parents to the situation, according to the arrest affidavit.
During a police interview, the girl told authorities that Wood had “both a penis and a vagina.” However, law enforcement officials discovered photos of Wood wearing a latex full-body suit designed to resemble a woman, which could account for the child’s confusion regarding Wood’s anatomy.
The victim told police Wood had threatened her during his attempt to obtain nude photos and videos.
Wood claimed to be a private investigator, knew the victim’s address and said he would “get on a plane and come find her,” as stated in the arrest warrant affidavit. In one exchange, Wood told the victim “if you don’t send me nudes I’m going to come to your house and have sex with you.”
Reduxx found that Wood also claimed to be a private investigator on his LinkedIn account, and has registered a business ostensibly dedicated to service dog training called Connecticut K9 Support Services, LLC.
The residence address on file for the business is that of a sex offender treatment program in Uncasville, but Wood had posted several job advertisements seeking a volunteer.
“Connecticut K9 Support Services LLC in New London, CT is offering one volunteer position to join our team,” Wood wrote in a now-deleted listing on Tarta. “Our ideal candidate is a self-starter, motivated, and reliable. This position is an opportunity to grow your knowledge in the K9 training and care field as well as the Private Investigative field. After 6 months of volunteering you will be given the option for a part-time or full-time paid position. We are seeking motivated, dog loving, honest, loyal, reliable.”
Attorney Michael Miller, the public defender representing Wood, told the court on Wednesday he intends to request that Wood be housed at York Correctional Institution in Niantic, the state’s only women’s prison.
Currently, Wood is being held in the Cheshire Correctional Institution for men.
The state’s sexual offender registry lists Wood’s biological sex as “female,” and provides numerous aliases for him such as as Kyle Bailey, Steven Bennett, and Kunani-Brandy Moana Kalakaua-Wood.
Wood is expected to be handed a sentence of 10 years, suspended after 30 months in prison, followed by five years of probation and an undetermined period of time on the state’s sexual offender registry if convicted.
Attorney for the state Anne Ferryman told the court that the victim’s family is not satisfied with the expected prison sentence. The victim’s parents have told police that the girl was left “feeling suicidal” after the ordeal and is currently receiving psychiatric treatment.
Wood’s lawyer asserted in court that he would pursue his client’s transfer to the women’s prison on March 14, but Judge Hillary Strackbein responded by informing Miller that prison accommodations are ultimately decided by the state Department of Corrections (DOC).
In July of 2018, Connecticut became the first U.S. state to allow male inmates to be housed in female correctional institutions on the basis of a self-declared gender identity.
The measure was attached to a bill intended to protect incarcerated pregnant women. Connecticut’s SB 13, “An Act Concerning Fair Treatment of Incarcerated Women,” expanded medical care requirements for pregnant inmates, but additionally stipulated that the DOC must “adhere to certain requirements that relate to the treatment and placement of inmates with a gender identity that differs from the inmate’s assigned sex at birth.”
Under the bill, any inmate who “who has a gender identity that differs from the inmate’s assigned sex at birth and has a diagnosis of gender dysphoria” must be addressed by their preferred pronouns, provided with clothing according to their “gender identity,” and be searched by correctional staff of “the same gender identity.”
Reduxx is your independent source of pro-woman, pro-child safeguarding news and commentary. We’re 100% reader-funded! Support our mission by joining our Patreon, or consider making a one-time donation.
