An Athens, Georgia man will spend the next 21 years in a federal prison following his guilty plea in a child sexual exploitation case. William Barnett, II, 33, was sentenced to 262 months of confinement, to be succeeded by a decade of supervised release, as declared by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. "Tripp" Self, III on November 10. The Department of Justice confirmed Barnett must also register as a sex offender once he is free. The federal system under which he was charged does not allow for parole.
U.S. Attorney William R. "Will" Keyes expressed a resolute stance on the matter, stating, "Our office is unwavering in the pursuit of justice on behalf of children who are sexually abused and exploited." According to a Department of Justice press release, he added, "We are working with law enforcement at every level to safeguard children and ensure that predators are held responsible." The sentencing resulted from a collaborative effort between multiple agencies aimed at safeguarding minors and holding sexual predators accountable.
Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta, highlighted the joint operation's success, saying, "This predator will now spend time behind bars for his appalling actions," as mentioned in the same press release. Schrank underscored the commitment of HSI Atlanta to project the vulnerable and seek justice for victims of exploitation and harm. Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters echoed the sentiment, underlining the value of inter-agency collaboration in tackling these grave offenses against children.
In a deep-dive investigation by HSI Atlanta's Child Exploitation and Cyber Investigations Group and Athens-Clarke County Police Department, law enforcement discovered chat threads dating back to 2022 and 2023 between Barnett and a suspect named Chris Adam Valentine. Barnett, who referred to himself as "Will" in the chats, was found to share explicit instructions regarding the sexual abuse of minors. After Valentine sent an image of a child being sexually assaulted on August 22, 2022, Barnett directed Valentine with specific instructions to further the abuse, to which Valentine complied, sending additional images of the same victim.
April 3, 2024, marked the execution of a search warrant at Barnett's residence. While Barnett was not present, multiple electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) were seized, eventually leading to his arrest. His electronic trail documented numerous transactions of CSAM, solidifying charges against him. This case is part of a wider initiative, Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice undertaking dedicated to fighting the rising tide of child exploitation and abuse, with the aim of locating, capturing, and trying individuals who target children, and rescuing victims.
The conviction was achieved with the aid of Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach, who prosecuted for the government. Details about the co-conspirator, Chris Adam Valentine, and his sentence to 30 years in prison can be found by visiting the Department of Justice website.
