11 years in prison for man prosecutors say traveled 100+ miles to have sex with girls

RACINE COUNTY -- An Indiana man arrested in February in Racine County after officials say he traveled approximately 109 miles to have sex with girls, 11 and 15, has been sentenced to prison.

Richard Barney, 57, of Cedar Lake, Ind. in July pleaded guilty to three charges: Attempted second degree sexual assault of a child and two counts of possession of child pornography.

On Monday, Oct. 1, he was sentenced to serve eight years in prison and eight years extended supervision on the attempted sexual assault charge, with credit for 215 days time served. He was sentenced to serve three years in prison and three years extended supervision on each of the other two convictions -- to be served concurrently to each other, and consecutively to the other prison sentence. In all, he'll serve 11 years in prison, and 11 years extended supervision.

Prosecutors say Barney posted an ad on Craigslist, seeking men or women -- "specifically those into taboo acts with no limits," making reference to single mothers. He eventually began communicating with an undercover agent, posing as a mother willing to sell her daughters for sex.

Barney sent inappropriate photos of himself, a picture of his face, and his phone number and "asked about the girls' sexual development," prosecutors say, while "expressing his desire to form a long-term sexual relationship teaching (the girls)."

Arrangements were made for Barney to meet this mother -- and on Feb. 28, he was arrested en route to a McDonald's restaurant.