An expert climber was sentenced Tuesday to life in jail for the 2016 sexual assault of a lady in Yosemite Nationwide Park, federal prosecutors stated.
Charles Barrett, 40, was sentenced on two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one depend of abusive sexual contact, in keeping with an announcement from U.S. Legal professional for the Jap District of California, Phillip A. Talbert.
Barrett was residing and dealing within the nationwide park when a lady visited in August 2016 for a weekend of mountaineering. Barrett sexually assaulted her thrice, in keeping with court docket information and proof offered at trial, prosecutors stated.
Three different girls testified at Barrett's trial that he additionally sexually assaulted them, prosecutors stated.
Barrett was not charged with these assaults as a result of they occurred exterior the jurisdiction of federal prosecutors, however the girls's testimony was admitted throughout the trial as related to the fees Barrett confronted, prosecutors stated.
“Barrett's lengthy historical past of sexual violence helps the imposition of a life sentence,” Talbert stated. “He used his standing as a outstanding climber to assault girls within the climbing neighborhood, and when his victims started to return ahead, Barrett responded by lashing out publicly with threats and intimidation. “This case is a testomony to the bravery of the victims who reported these crimes.”
NBC Information couldn’t instantly attain legal professionals representing Barrett for remark Tuesday afternoon.
One in every of her attorneys, Timothy P. Hennessy, advised the choose life sentence was not applicable as a result of Barrett suffers from psychological sickness, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reported. One other lawyer representing Barrett, David Torres, stated he plans to enchantment the case, the newspaper reported.
Barrett has a historical past of intimidating his victims, prosecutors stated.
In 2017, seven years after he allegedly assaulted one of many girls who testified in opposition to him at his trial, prosecutors stated, Barrett deliberately climbed at a climbing gymnasium the lady attended. She revealed Barrett's sexual assault to the proprietor to guard different girls on the gymnasium, prosecutors stated.
Barrett then harassed her for years, in keeping with prosecutors. In August 2022, he was convicted of prison threats he made earlier that yr, prosecutors stated.
Whereas in custody in his newest case, prosecutors stated, Barrett made tons of of cellphone calls and threatened violence and retaliation calls for in opposition to his accusers.