Gary man charged with raping 16-year-old girl after kidnapping her from Michael Jackson's former home

CHICAGO - A Gary man was charged with rape and kidnapping after abducting a father and daughter from Michael Jackson's childhood home at gunpoint earlier this month. 

Lake County prosecutors said a man and his 16-year-old daughter were visiting the singer's former home located in the 2300 block of Jackson Street in Gary on Aug. 9. 

The victims were approached by a man who was later identified as Oasia Barnes. He allegedly pointed a gun into the girl's ribs and demanded money. 

Prosecutors said the father gave Barnes $300 from his wallet. Barnes then told them he wanted a ride. The man offered his car to Barnes, but he instead told the father he wanted to have sex with the girl. Barnes allegedly told the victim she was pretty, and he was "going to make love to her." 

Barnes threatened to shoot the father and his daughter if he did not do what he said. Barnes got in the back seat with the girl at gunpoint. The father pleaded with Barnes to stop, but he kept threatening to shoot them if he didn't drive. 

Prosecutors said Barnes told the father to drive to an alley at the back of an abandoned home. Barnes told them he wanted to watch the victims "do sex things." The girl said she did not want to. Barnes took the girl out of the car and instructed the father to stay inside. 

The victim told police that he considered running Barnes over with his car, but he didn't want to injure his daughter. When Barnes and the girl were out of sight of the car, he ran to a nearby residence and called 911. 

Gary police officers received a complaint about people sitting behind a home located at 2228 Washington Street. When the responding officer arrived, he found the girl and Barnes sitting in a basement stairwell. The victim told the officer she had been kidnapped. 

Barnes was arrested, and the officer found a black Taurus handgun on him. 

The girl told police that Barnes forced her to perform oral sex at gunpoint. He also forced her to touch him and tell him she loved him. She was then forced to walk around the neighborhood as he told passersby that she was his new girlfriend. 

Barnes was charged with 17 felonies, including rape, kidnapping, and criminal confinement.

"I am devastated by this horrific act and my heart goes out to the victim and their family," Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said. "As mayor, my primary goal is to make Gary a safe place for all. This isolated incident does not reflect who we are as a community."