Sentences Secured in Child Sex Crimes Cases

HEAT Unit Uncovers Predators

The Reno man who was convicted of Attempting to Use or Permit a Minor to be Subject in a Sexual Portrayal, Attempt Abuse or Neglect Involving Sexual Exploitation, and Soliciting a Child for Prostitution in March, has been sentenced. Phillip Laub (dob 12/9/91) was given an aggregate 11 years in prison by the Honorable Judge Egan Walker.

Laub was arrested in 2021 following an on-going exchange with an undercover Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit detective, who he believed was a 16-year-old girl. Over the course of their conversation, Laub initiated a meeting with the detective, again believing it to be a minor, to pay for sex. He will be eligible for parole after 4 years.

Jacob Barbato (dob 11/15/91) was sentenced to the maximum consecutive time of 40 years with parole eligibility after 16 years. He previously pled guilty to Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child and Attempted Sexual Assault of a Child. The charges stemmed from a case where Barbato recruited an undercover detective with HEAT that was posing as a 17-year-old, to have sex with him for money. The defendant also then aimed to have the assumed teen travel with him to his home in Sacramento to engage in prostitution. At the same time, Barbato requested to have sex with the believed teen’s “13-year-old” friend and offered to give another “15-year-old” friend drugs in exchange for that girl filming him having sex with both the 13- and 17-year-olds together. The Honorable Judge Kathleen Sigurdson imposed the sentence of 40 years.

Deputy District Attorney Darcy Cameron prosecuted both cases on behalf of the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office.