Prominent rock climber receives life sentence for sexual assaults at Yosemite National Park

A professional rock climber named Charles Barrett, who lived and worked in Yosemite National Park, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman during a weekend in 2016. He was sentenced to life in federal prison for two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact. During the trial, three more women came forward with similar allegations, but those incidents were not charged as they were outside federal jurisdiction. Barrett used his reputation as a rock climber to intimidate and assault victims within the climbing community. Barrett's actions were devastating to the victims, who he later threatened before the trial. He showed no remorse or regret in hundreds of phone calls made while in custody. Barrett's history of sexual violence led to the imposition of a life sentence. He also faced additional charges for making criminal threats in 2022. In 2017, Barrett intentionally visited a rock-climbing gym where one of the victims attended, leading to harassment and threats towards her for several years. Despite plans to appeal the case, Barrett's attorneys could not be reached for comment. The courage of the victims who reported these crimes was highlighted by the prosecutors. Barrett's case serves as a reminder of the importance of speaking out against sexual violence and holding perpetrators accountable.