A convicted child predator is going back before a parole board, and the Shasta County’s District Attorney will again fight against his release. 86-year-old Robert Barber was convicted in 2000 by Senior Deputy District Attorney Kelly Kafel, who says he would spend years gaining the trust of young boys and their families until he found opportunities to sexually abuse them. Barber sexually assaulted countless young victims hundreds of times in Shasta County for decades. When one spoke up, Barber fled to Mexico and was eventually captured and returned after appearing on the TV program “America’s Most Wanted”. Six victims testified against Barber during his trial, resulting in 32 counts of child molestation and a sentence of over 50 years in prison. He became eligible for early release under California’s “Elder Parole Program” due to his age and the number of years he’s served. In April DA Stephanie Bridgett urged people to write letters to the parole board, and more than 50 letters were received. That added to testimony at the hearing from Kafel and one a surviving victim and the board completely reversed the ruling that would have set Barber free. Another hearing is this Friday. The address to send letters is bph.correspondenceunit@cdcr.ca.gov.
-Steve Gibson