Kentucky man arrested on sexual abuse charges after two years on the run
A Kentucky man accused of sexually abusing children was arrested in Alabama after more than two years on the run.
James Barnes, 47, of Flemingsburg, was charged with 120 counts of first-degree sexual abuse on Nov. 11, 2023, according to Kentucky State Police. Detectives interviewed three children who said Barnes sexually abused them, leading to the charges.
Barnes fled Kentucky after detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest, according to state police. On Jan. 14, state police sought assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service Central Kentucky Fugitive Task Force, and they learned he could be living in Alabama.
Authorities contacted the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, which arrested Barnes on Jan. 21 in Nauvoo, Alabama. He was booked into the Walker County Detention Center in Jasper, Alabama, and is awaiting extradition to Kentucky, police said.
