Attorney General Alan Wilson announces registered sex offender sentenced to 10 years for new crimes

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that on October 27, Christopher Allen Barber was sentenced in Cherokee County on one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Third degree by the Honorable Grace Knie. He entered a guilty plea on this charge in August, but sentencing was held in abeyance.

On May 20, 2021, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office received a CyberTip that someone had uploaded approximately 30 files believed to be child sexual abuse material involving children as young as six to a messaging app. The posting traced back to Christopher Allen Barber, who was already a registered sex offender for possessing child sexual abuse material while in the military. Law enforcement served a search warrant on July 27, 2021, and a forensic preview completed at Barber’s home located approximately 20 files of child sexual abuse material depicting the sexual assault of children as young as five. The defendant was arrested at that time. A forensic examination located approximately 120 files of child sexual abuse material.   

Judge Knie sentenced Barber to 10 years, provided he serves five years in prison, the balance will be suspended to five years of probation. He received credit for 11 days of time served. He will have to continue to register as a sex offender upon his release.