RAPID CITY, S.D. – A 77-year-old man has been sentenced to two consecutive 10-year prison terms for sexually abusing two young children.
The sentence follows Wesley Barnes’ guilty plea to two counts of sexual contact with a child under the age of 16.
Prosecutors say in exchange for his plea, the State agreed to dismiss charges of first-degree rape, while securing a 20-year prison sentence.
Furthermore, it spares the victims the trauma of having to testify at trial.
Both girls wrote powerful victim impact statements, which were read aloud in court. One wrote, “You took away my innocence and all of those things you did to me ruined my childhood.” Both expressed relief that they were “able to stop it from ever happening again.”
“This case is not about leniency, it’s about protecting two incredibly brave children from having to relive their trauma on the witness stand,” said Chief Deputy State’s Attorney Gina Nelson, who prosecuted the case. “These young survivors showed remarkable strength, and their voices played a direct role in stopping this abuse and holding the defendant accountable.”
Sexual contact with a child under the age of 16 is a class 3 felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and/or a $30,000 fine.
