Climber sentenced to life in prison for sexual assault in Yosemite National Park – NBC Bay Area

A professional rock climber was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday for sexual assault in Yosemite National Park, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Charles Barrett, 40, was convicted of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Citing court documents and evidence presented at trial, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the victim traveled to Yosemite National Park for a weekend of hiking in August 2016. During the trip, Barrett, who lived in the national park and worked for a private company, sexually assaulted her three times.

Three other women testified during the trial that Barrett had also sexually abused them, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Those assaults were not charged because they were outside the jurisdiction of the federal courts, but the cases were admitted during the trial.

In 2017, seven years after Barrett attacked one of the testifying victims, he intentionally climbed at a climbing gym the victim had visited, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said, citing court documents.

The victim told the gym owner about the assault, hoping to protect other women at the gym. Barrett harassed and threatened her for several years, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Barrett was convicted of criminal threatening in August 2022.

Barrett made hundreds of phone calls related to the current case while in custody and showed no remorse or regret, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Instead, he threatened the victims with violence and lawsuits, claiming they were conspiring to ruin his life.

“Barrett’s long history of sexual violence justifies the imposition of a life sentence,” Talbert said in a statement. “He used his status as a prominent climber to attack women in the climbing community, and when his victims began to speak out, Barrett responded by publicly responding with threats and intimidation. This case is a testament to the courage of the victims who reported these crimes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to investigate and prosecute violent crimes in national parks like Yosemite.”