(Lawrenceville, Ga., 12/5/25) – A Stone Mountain man was found guilty Thursday of assaulting and trying to rape an 18-year-old lifeguard at a community pool.

A Gwinnett County jury found Matthew Charles Barrett, 24, guilty with intellectual disability of the charges of criminal attempt to rape, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and false imprisonment.

“We are glad the jury returned a quick verdict finding the defendant guilty,” Gwinnett District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “This lifeguard was doing a kind act for a stranger and should not have been attacked for her kindness.”

During the trial, jurors watched surveillance video from June 13, 2019, when Barrett came up to a private gated pool and asked the teenage lifeguard to let him use the restroom.

The lifeguard then proceeded to show Barrett to the men’s restroom and went down the hall toward the women’s restroom. In the video, the jury saw Barrett go into the women’s restroom and heard him attempt to assault the lifeguard.

Jurors saw video of him grabbing the lifeguard around the waist and trying to bring her to the ground as she fled the bathroom to get help.

Jurors returned the guilty verdict in less than an hour.

Barrett is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 18.

The case was prosecuted by the Special Victims Unit Assistant District Attorneys Scott Estes and Megan Matteucci, along with Investigator Christina Newman and Victim Advocate Esther Askew.