A former Winder restaurant manager has been handed a lengthy prison term after taking a plea deal in a high-profile sexual assault case tied to his workplace.
On May 29, 2026, Daniel Barrios Catalan, 47, was sentenced to a 20-year term, with 15 years to be served in prison, after entering a negotiated guilty plea in Barrow County Superior Court. Court records show he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with intent to rape and false imprisonment. The judge also ordered that Catalan serve 10 years of consecutive probation after his release.
Plea and sentence
Catalan’s negotiated plea was accepted in Barrow County Superior Court on May 29, locking in a 20-year sentence, with 15 years behind bars and a decade of probation to follow, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. Winder Police Chief Fullington said the agreement “ensures swift justice” and spares the victim the emotional toll of a drawn-out trial, according to the department. Prosecutors said the deal secured a substantial sentence while removing the uncertainty and burden of a jury trial.
How the investigation unfolded
The case began in early March 2025, when a mandated reporter at a local hospital alerted authorities, prompting detectives to open an investigation and identify Catalan as the primary suspect, according to the City of Winder. Officials say the assault occurred on the night of March 1, 2025, after Catalan allegedly provided alcohol to an 18-year-old employee, took her to a private area of the restaurant, and later drove her home.
Catalan was arrested on March 7 and booked into the Barrow County Detention Center, city records show. News of the initial arrest and charges drew local attention at the time, including a March 2025 report.
Charges and legal implications
Catalan pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with intent to rape and false imprisonment, both treated under Georgia law as serious sexual offenses. Convictions for crimes classified as sexual offenses can result in lengthy incarceration and may trigger requirements such as registration on the state’s sex offender registry and ongoing reporting obligations after release.
Those requirements are governed by state statute, including provisions in O.C.G.A. 17-10-6.2 and Georgia Code § 42-1-12.
What comes next
Authorities have not released the victim’s identity or detailed forensic findings, and there is no public indication of any related civil lawsuit, FOX 5 Atlanta reports. The Winder Police Department and the Piedmont Judicial Circuit’s District Attorney’s Office handled the criminal case, and the plea agreement means there will be no jury trial.
Catalan’s prison term will be followed by supervised probation, and any post-release registration or reporting duties will be determined under Georgia law.
