REDDING, Calif. — More than two decades after a Shasta County jury convicted Robert Barber of molesting young boys, prosecutors are urging the public to submit letters opposing his possible early release from prison.
Barber was convicted in 2000 of 32 counts of child molestation involving at least 6 young boys over the course of several years, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Kelly Kafel, who prosecuted the case. One victim was as young as eight when the abuse began, eventually going to his parents in 1997 for help.
“He had violently assaulted these boys three or 400 times in some instances,” Kafel said.
After police confronted Barber about the crimes, he fled across the border to Mexico and hid for about three years, according to Kafel. He was later found on a fishing boat and extradited back to the United States after being featured on “America’s Most Wanted,” leading to a jury trial in which six victims testified. Barber was convicted and sentenced to more than 50 years in prison.
Kafel said she worked closely with the victims and their families during the prosecution.
More than two decades after a Shasta County jury convicted Robert Barber of molesting young boys, prosecutors are urging the public to submit letters opposing his possible early release from prison. 4/8/26 (KRCR)
“We spent hours and hours with those young men building their confidence and helping them get brave enough to face the man who hurt them so badly,” Kafel said.
Now, Barber is being considered for early release under California’s Elder Parole Program, which allows inmates to be considered for parole based on age and time served.
“Elder parole says if you’re older than 50 years old and you’ve served at least 20 years of your sentence, that you’re eligible for parole no matter how much more time you have left and no matter how heinous the crimes you committed were,” Kafel said.
Kafel said she has been in touch with some of the victims since learning Barber could be released and that they are devastated— all of them doing what they can to keep 86-year-old Barber in prison.
“While we don’t do public outreach, because we handle a lot of cases where people are coming out of prison based on new rules and new laws, this one is important. It’s important because Robert Barber is a dangerous man. I don’t care how old Mr. Barber is,” Kafel said.
Barber’s parole hearing is scheduled for April 24. Kafel and at least one victim are expected to speak, and letters from victims are being sent to the parole board in an effort to keep Barber incarcerated.
The Shasta County District Attorney’s Office is also asking community members and anyone impacted by Barber’s crimes to submit letters to the California Board of Parole Hearings by Friday, April 10.
Public comment and correspondence may be submitted to:
Shasta County District Attorney’s Office at 1355 West Street in Redding or the California Board of Parole Hearings at Post Office Box 4036 in Sacramento 95812. You can also email the letter to Shastada@shastacounty.gov, Damedia@shastacounty.gov, BPH.CorrespondenceUnit@cdcr.ca.gov or call the board at 916-445-4072.
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