A 63 year old Garnett man was sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison recently in connection with a 2020 Felony Child Sex Abuse charges. Barry Weber originally faced a total of eight felonies in connection with the incident, including rape and aggravated indecent liberties. He was arrested February 15, 2020, after Garnett police received a report of an incident involving Weber and a female child under the age of 14. However, as part of a plea deal worked out with a special prosecutor, Weber took a plea for a single charge of electronic solicitation of a child.
Through the investigation, many other child victims were identified; however, none could be charged due to the Statute of Limitations relating to the time. He was arraigned on charges the following November, with an amendment to his charges nearly a year later, in September 2021. Based on the eventual plea deal, his charges were amended to the single count of electronic solicitation in November 2021. Anderson County District Court Judge, Eric Godderz, signed an order February 16th declaring Weber’s an “exceptional case” due to COVID delays, multiple off grid sex offense charges and a large volume of discovery of evidence in the case.
Kansas law allows for court-appointed attorneys to derive additional compensation from the state if a case is deemed “exceptional”
