A white male from Hallsville accepted a 50-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a child and possessing child pornography.
Kevin Forrest Barnett, 44, was sentenced in the 71st District Court in Marshall. He was arrested Oct. 7, 2024, and has been held there since, according to jail records.
In 2024, Child Protective Services contacted the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office with concerns about a child being photographed inappropriately. A short time later, Terrell police alerted the sheriff’s office about a cyber tip from the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, suggesting a potential exploitation of a child.
Deputies investigated the tip and identified Barnett as the suspect in possession of dozens of child pornography videos, Sheriff Brandon Fletcher said at the time.
Deputies searched his home and found evidence to support the pedophile’s arrest for aggravated sexual assault of a child, Fletcher said.
He was held on bonds totaling $400,000 for the charges, according to jail records.
“While no sentence can undo the harm caused, this outcome reflects our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community,” Madison Hood, the district attorney-elect, said.
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