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Published on May 15, 2024
Wilson County Man Sentenced to 60 Years for Child Sex Crimes in Mt. JulietSource: Mt. Juliet Police Department

In a case that has shaken the community of Mt. Juliet, Pedro Barrera, a 50-year-old Wilson County man, has been condemned to six decades behind bars for heinous sex crimes against children. On Friday, Barrera received his sentence to serve 60 years in prison at 100%, which rules out the possibility of early release, as detailed by WSMV. The man was also required to register as a violent sex offender and will be under community supervision for the remainder of his life, should he ever leave prison.

According to reports by FOX17, Barrera was found guilty on February 1, on all ten charges laid out by a Wilson County jury after a trial that spanned over four days. The charges included three counts of rape of a child, six counts of aggravated sexual battery, and one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child—a charge arising when a defendant commits certain violent sexual offenses against three or more victims.

The district attorney’s office reported that the abuse, committed by Barrera, spanned from 2017 to 2020 at two different locations in Mt. Juliet. Barrera’s victims were between seven and nine years old when the abuse occurred. All three victims, who were not related to the accused, bravely testified at the trial in February.

"This sentencing ensures that Pedro Barrera will never be released to hurt another person," District Attorney Jason Lawson told WKRN in a statement. He expressed his gratitude towards the careful attention to detail that Judge Kane pronounced during the sentencing and voiced his hope that "today's sentencing will bring some measure of peace to the victims and their families in this case."