GARY, Ind. — A Gary man will likely spend the rest of his life in prison after he was sentenced to 164 years in prison for raping a teen who was visiting Michael Jackson’s boyhood home last year.
Oasia Barnes was found guilty Wednesday on 17 charges, including rape, kidnapping, criminal confinement and more.
According to court documents, a 16-year-old girl was visiting Michael Jackson’s childhood home, located in the 2300 block of Jackson Street, in August 2024 with her father when a man, later identified as Oasia Barnes, approached and put a gun into the girl’s ribs.
Authorities said Barnes demanded money and the father gave him around $300 in cash.
He then forced the father to drive his vehicle with his daughter and Barnes in the backseat. Barnes told the father he was going to “blow (the girl’s) brains out” if he didn’t comply.
The father was directed to drive into an alley at the rear of an abandoned house. He later told police after Barnes and the girl got out of the vehicle, he considered trying to run him over — but was worried he would also strike his daughter.
The teen told police Barnes forced her to perform oral sex at gunpoint in the abandoned house before grabbing her by the arm to move locations.
Court documents state Barnes told her she would be his girlfriend and instructed her to tell him she loved him.
Police located Barnes and the girl on Washington Street after he forced her to hide in a basement.
