October 24, 2023
(McKinney, Texas) – Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis announced that Juan Barrera, 59, of Wylie, Texas, was sentenced to 82 years in prison for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child after a jury found him guilty. “This predator not only abused one child, but two. He’ll now have the rest of his life in prison to ponder the pathetic and selfish excuses he made for himself,” said Willis after sentencing.
Barrera was an adult who was known by and had ongoing access to two children. He sexually abused both children over the course of a couple of years, beginning when the victims were approximately 7 and 8 years old.
After a particular incident of abuse, one victim immediately disclosed what happened to an adult family member. The adult family member then reported the incident to the police. Once law enforcement began investigating the abuse of this child, this child’s older sibling outcried to getting abused as well.
The defendant was interviewed and admitted to abusing the children. He claimed he was suffering from erectile dysfunction and was trying to “feel something.” His DNA was also located on swabs taken from one of the children during a medical examination.
Wylie Police Department Detective Sam Shipley investigated the case. The victims were forensically interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County, where they disclosed details about the abuse.
The jury found Barrera guilty of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child and assessed punishment at 82 years in prison. By law, a sentence for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child is without eligibility for parole.
Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Mollie Thompson and Baileigh Hale prosecuted the case, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Greg Bowers and Legal Secretary Raman Kaur. Judge Richard Davis presided over the case.
#####
