A Lubbock man named Anthony Barboza pleaded guilty this week to two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, one attack in October 2020 and another in July 2021. Instead of dragging everyone through a trial, he took a plea deal: 25 years in prison on each count, running at the same time. That means he’ll be behind bars until well into middle age, assuming he serves it out like he’s supposed to.
Court records paint a grim picture. One of the victims told police she was so overwhelmed during the assault that she froze and didn’t know what to do. She’s been dealing with nightmares ever since — the kind of damage that doesn’t disappear just because the courtroom finally closed. At sentencing, a victim told the judge they’ve lived in fear for years and can finally sleep better knowing Barboza will be locked up.
Barboza will also be required to register as a sex offender for life and is under two protective orders to stay away from his victims. He already has nearly three years of jail time credited, but the rest of those 25 years are still waiting for him. That’s a long stretch to think about the choices that put him there.
And in classic Lubbock fashion, this horror unfolded quietly in the background of everyday life — grocery runs, Friday night lights, and “nothing to see here” small-town routines — until it exploded into the open years later. Two kids carry this for the rest of their lives. He gets a number and a bunk.
So yeah, another week in Lubbock: where the monsters don’t wear masks, they just live down the street — until the courts finally catch up.
https://www.kcbd.com/2026/01/09/anthony-barboza-pleads-guilty-molesting-two-children/
