Man arrested in Racine Co. after attempting to sexually assault underage girls

RACINE COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) – A 56-year-old Indiana man is facing several charges in Racine County after attempting to sexually assault two underage girls.

According to the Racine County Sheriff’s Office, the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit (ICAC) arrested Richard A. Barney on Wednesday.

Authorities say Barney traveled 109 miles from St. John, Indiana to have sex with who he believed was an 11-year-old and a 15-year-old girl.

The sheriff’s office says for the past few weeks an undercover ICAC investigator was posing online as a mother willing to sell her daughters for sex. Barney had been communicating with the officer for several weeks. Authorities say during that time, Barney sent pornographic photos, a picture of his face and his cell phone number.

He is currently being held at the Racine County Jail on charges of possession of child pornography, attempted sexual assault of a child and use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime.