Yosemite rock climber faces life in prison after conviction on sexual assaults
SACRAMENTO – A professional rock climber has been convicted of several sexual assaults at Yosemite National Park, prosecutors say.
The US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California announced Tuesday that 39-year-old Charles Barrett had been convicted of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse.
One woman initially testified that she had gone to Yosemite for a weekend of hiking with Barrett and was sexually assaulted three times. Prosecutors say Barrett was working and living at the park at the time.
Three other women later came forward during the trial and testified that Barrett also sexually assaulted them. Prosecutors noted, however, that these assaults did not lead to charges since they were outside of federal jurisdiction.
Prosecutors argued that Barrett lured his victims by abusing his presence as a notable rock climber.
"His violent sexual assaults were devastating to the victims, whom he later threatened in the lead-up to trial," said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert in a statement.
Barrett was convicted on two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact.
Barrett is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. He's scheduled to be sentenced on May 21.
