California rock climber sentenced to life for sexual assaults inside Yosemite National Park

Four women, at times tightly holding hands, could barely contain their cries of relief as a Sacramento federal judge sentenced a prominent professional climber and guidebook author to life in prison for sexually abusing women and wielding his authority to threaten victims if they came forward.

Charles Barrett, 40, snatched away freedom and ability to pursue happiness — citizens’ birthright as outlined in the Constitution — for the women because his actions will reverberate through each victim’s entire life, said one woman, K.G., on Tuesday in downtown Sacramento.

A federal jury found Barrett guilty Feb. 13 — called “freedom day” by K.G. — of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact stemming from incidents in 2016. She said she was raped and sexually assaulted while in Yosemite National Park for a weekend of hiking.

“It is time to put a definitive end to Barrett’s reign of terror,” the victim said during her statements in court before sentencing by U.S. District Court Judge John Mendez.

Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article289004929.html#storylink=cpy