HAGERSTOWN MAN FOUND GUILTY OF RAPE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2021
FREDERICK, MD – Late Thursday afternoon in Frederick County Circuit Court, a jury found Clifford Edward Barnett, age 54, of Hagerstown, MD guilty of 2nd Degree Rape, 3rd degree sex offense, and 4th degree sex offense. The State requested that Barnett’s $25,000 unsecured bond be revoked after this conviction. Judge William R. Nicklas Jr. ruled that the defendant could remain on bond until sentencing. A sentencing date will be scheduled by the court’s assignment office.
At approximately 7:53 am September 30, 2019, officers with the Frederick Police Department were dispatched to a home in the 600 block of Taney Avenue in Frederick for the report of a rape. The female victim was transported by Frederick County DFRS EMTs to Frederick Health Hospital for a forensic medical examination. Detectives learned through investigation that the victim and the defendant had visited several downtown Frederick bars together, along with another male friend of the victim, the night of September 29th. The three consumed several alcoholic beverages over the course of the evening. The defendant then drove the victim and the other male friend to her house. The three continued to socialize until approximately 3am, when the victim made beds for the two men to sleep in and then went to bed in her bedroom on another floor of the residence. In the early morning hours of September 30th, the victim was awakened to find the defendant in her bed sexually assaulting her. She immediately jumped up and began screaming and the defendant ran out of the residence.
The State was represented by Chief Assistant State’s Attorney Tammy Leache.
Clifford Edward Barnett
