Rock climber gets life in prison for sexual assaults at Yosemite

A professional rock climber was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for sexual assaults that occurred at Yosemite National Park, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Charles Barrett, 40, was sentenced for 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 went to Yosemite in August 2016 for a weekend of hiking. During the trip, Barrett, who was living and working for a private business in the national park, sexually assaulted her three times.

Three other women testified during the trial that Barrett sexually assaulted them as well, the U.S. attorney's office said. Those assaults were not charged because they fell outside of federal jurisdiction, but the cases were admitted during the trial.

In 2017, seven years after Barrett assaulted one of the victims who testified, he purposely climbed at a rock climbing gym where the victim visited, the U.S. attorney's office said, citing court documents.

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The victim told the gym owner about the assault in hopes of protecting other women at the gym. Barrett proceeded to harass and threaten her for several years, according to the U.S. attorney's office. Barrett was convicted for criminal threats in August 2022.

Barrett made hundreds of phone calls while he was in custody in connection with the current case and showed no remorse or regret, the U.S. attorney's office said. He instead threatened violence and lawsuits against the victims, claiming they conspired to ruin his life.

"Barrett’s long history of sexual violence supports the imposition of a life sentence," Talbert said in a statement. "He used his status as a prominent climber to assault women in the rock-climbing community, and when his victims began to tell, Barrett responded by lashing out publicly 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."