By Lauren Girgis
The Seattle Times
SEATTLE — A 45-year-old woman who was a victim of an attempted rape and robbery at knifepoint in 2022 by a man released from prison to a reentry center was awarded $5 million through a settlement with the Department of Corrections .
The woman, who is not being identified because she is a sexual assault survivor, filed a lawsuit in 2025 against the state. The lawsuit alleged the incarcerated man was transitioned to Bishop Lewis Reentry Center in 2022 by the Department of Corrections but was not an appropriate candidate,” according to the complaint. That reentry center has since closed.
In a statement, the Department of Corrections said it has “improved its mental health screening of incarcerated individuals eligible for placement in Reentry Centers.”
“The centers play a crucial role in helping incarcerated individuals adjust from prison life to life in the community before they are released,” the statement said.
Jordan Benjamin Alexander , 37, is serving a 20-year prison sentence for the assault and robbery.
The Department of Corrections did admit liability as part of the settlement, a spokesperson for the office said.
After leaving work Aug. 31, 2022 , Alexander entered the woman’s Seattle massage parlor under the guise of a courier delivering a package. He approached the woman in the front office, pulled out a knife and demanded money from her. He then forced her into an enclosed area and sexually assaulted her until a colleague came in, and he then ran from the business.
Alexander was serving a 43-month prison sentence on multiple counts of second-degree robbery when he was released from prison to a reentry center in July 2022 . On Aug. 30, 2022 , the Department of Corrections documented that Alexander had escaped from work release. The assault took place the next day.
The woman’s attorneys argued the state should have known Alexander posed a risk to the public and was not an appropriate candidate for the freedoms provided at a reentry center, the lawsuit alleges. The plaintiff argued the state neglected its relationship with Alexander by failing to control or monitor him.
Alexander was charged with attempted rape and first-degree robbery shortly after the assault, but the case was later dismissed without prejudice so he could be evaluated for civil commitment. In 2024, charges were refiled and Alexander pleaded guilty to third-degree rape and first-degree robbery. He was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment and is incarcerated at the Monroe Correctional Complex , in a treatment unit for seriously mentally ill incarcerated people.
In a 2022 competency evaluation report, a Department of Social and Health Services psychologist wrote that Alexander lacked the capacity to assist in his defense. He responded well to medication and restoration treatment, according to court documents, so charges were refiled.
The woman’s attorney, Ashton Dennis , said his client often experiences fears of revictimization, and gets rides to and from work instead of walking home.
“It’s completely changed her life,” Dennis said.
A Department of Corrections classification counselor received emails about Alexander’s unstable mental health conditions in the weeks leading up to the release, Dennis said. Nevertheless, he was promoted to a Minimum 1 custody level, which is necessary for someone to be placed into a reentry program, Dennis said.
“The mental health aspect of someone’s case is not readily observable by the classification counselor, which is quite mind-boggling,” Dennis said. “Unless they’re specifically notified, like they were in this circumstance, folks doing these classifications won’t know about mental health concerns.
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