LANCASTER, Pa. — A Lancaster County man was convicted this week of sexually assaulting and raping a child over a four-year span, when the victim was between the ages of 9 and 13.
Timothy Barker, 48, of Leola, was found guilty of rape of a child, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of a child by a jury after a two-day trial before Lancaster County Judge Dennis Reinaker, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
The jury needed just 30 minutes of deliberation to reach its verdict, prosecutors said.
Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick prosecuted the case and presented testimony from the victim that the abuse started when she was around 9 and escalated until she was 13.
“All sex abusers are cowards and bullies,” Haverstick said. “He’s trying to intimidate my victim one last time like he did when she was a little girl. [The victim] was incredibly brave to take the stand. She isn’t scared of him anymore and he can’t bully her anymore.”
Barker was between the age of 40 and 44 at the time of the abuse, in a caregiving role to the victim when the rape occurred and told the victim he wanted to “teach her how to use her body correctly.”
The victim disclosed the abuse when she was 17 and was interviewed in 2023 by the Lancaster County Children’s Alliance after a referral was generated by a ChildLine report.
Barker will be sentenced by Judge Reinaker at a later date and was remanded to Lancaster County Prison on $1 million bail.
West Lampeter Township Police Detective Sergeant Steven Heinly filed charges and testified.
