Everette Spencer Barnett Pleads Guilty to Interstate Travel for Sex with a Minor

GREENEVILLE, TN—Everette Spencer Barnett, 40, of Bristol, Tenn., pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville, to transporting a minor from the Eastern District of Tennessee to the Western District of North Carolina to engage the minor in sexual intercourse. Sentencing has been set for August 29, 2011 at 1:30 p.m., in U.S. District Court in Greeneville.

Barnett faces a minimum term of five years in prison and a maximum term of 30 years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, lifetime supervised release, restitution as ordered by the court, and $100 mandatory assessment.

On October 14, 2010, a three-count indictment, which included the aforementioned charges, was returned against Barnett by a federal grand jury sitting in Greeneville. Barnett has remained in federal custody since his arraignment on the federal charges on October 27, 2010.

This indictment and today’s guilty plea, was the result of an ongoing investigation by the Bristol, Tennessee Police Department, District Attorney General for the Second Judicial District, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Helen Smith, Assistant U.S. Attorney represented the United States.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a Department initiative launched in 2006 that aims to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, tribal, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information visit ProjectSafeChildhood.gov.