From: District Attorney CJ Robinson
19th Judicial Circuit of Alabama
Steven Barnes, 35 years old, from Montgomery, Alabama, was arrested for Rape 1st, along with three additional felony counts, in April of 2019. He was set for a jury trial to begin today in Circuit Judge Patrick Pinkston’s Elmore County courtroom.
On the first day of jury selection for trial, Barnes entered a plea of guilt, to serve 40 years, for Rape 1st. Judge Pinkston will sentence Barnes on May 26, 2026.
In April of 2019, Barnes was arrested and charged with the rape of a 5 year old girl, who was found by her mother with injuries and transported from Prattville Baptist Hospital to Children’s Hospital of Birmingham. The victim underwent surgery at Children’s due to severe sexual assault trauma.
At the time the incident occurred, the young girl, who is the daughter of a woman Barnes was dating, lived in the home where Barnes was staying. Her mother was napping and left the 5 year old alone with the defendant when he raped her.
District Attorney CJ Robinson said, “I am beginning to feel like a broken record with regard to the number of times I talk about putting away evil individuals who are a danger to our communities and our most vulnerable citizens. This is yet one more brutal case of a pervert who should never see the light of day again. This was a difficult decision for us to enter into this plea agreement for Barnes to serve 40 years. Life without parole would have been too good for what he did, but after extensive communications with the victim’s family and Millbrook PD, together we made the decision to protect her from ever having to enter the same room with her offender again. The Millbrook Police Department did an excellent job of investigating and Butterfly Bridge Children’s Advocacy Center has provided necessary services that have helped the healing process for this child and this family. We will continue working with this family in preparation for sentencing. Our continued prayers are with them”.
Barnes has been held in the Elmore County Jail since the time of his arrest.
