A Hale County grand jury has indicted an Akron man on eight sex offense charges involving a child, including first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy, according to Hale County Circuit Court records.
Austin Brooks Barnette, 30, of Akron is charged with two counts of rape in the first degree and two counts of sodomy in the first degree, each a Class A felony; one count of sexual abuse of a child less than 12, a Class B felony; one count of sexual abuse in the first degree, a Class C felony; and two counts of sexual misconduct, a Class A misdemeanor.
Several of the counts allege that the child was younger than 12, according to the indictment. Barnette was arrested Oct. 1 on a warrant, court records show. The bail line on the indictment reads “no bail” under Aniah’s Law, and Hale County Circuit Court records dated Oct. 5 listed Barnette as jailed with no bond set. His arraignment is set for Nov. 6.
