David Barber to be Prosecuted under Federal “Worst of the Worst" Anti-Violence Initiative
ALBUQUERQUE - The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has filed a criminal complaint charging David Barber, 40, of Albuquerque, N.M., with federal firearms charges arising out of the burglary of an Albuquerque-based federal firearms dealer’s place of business.
The criminal complaint, which was filed yesterday, charges Barber with being a felon in possession of firearms and theft from a federal firearms dealer’s business inventory. The criminal complaint alleges that Barber committed the crimes in April 2017, in Bernalillo County, N.M. According to the criminal complaint, Barber and another man burglarized a federal firearms dealer’s business in the early hours of April 24, 2017, and stole 12 firearms. The business’s surveillance system video-recorded the burglary and law enforcement officers used the videotape of the burglary to identify Barber as one of the two alleged burglars. The criminal complaint alleges that in April 2017, Barber was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his status as a convicted felon.
The criminal complaint alleges that on May 11, 2017, officers of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) seized three of the 12 firearms stolen during the burglary when they executed a search warrant at an apartment in which Barber had been observed on several occasions. It also alleges that the officers found other evidence relating to the burglary when they executed a search warrant on a van allegedly used by Barber during the burglary.
APD officers arrested Barber on outstanding state warrants on June 20, 2017, following a high-speed vehicle chase through Albuquerque. Barber remains in state custody pending transfer to federal custody to face the charges in the criminal complaint.
If convicted, Barber faces a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of ten years on each of the two charges in the criminal complaint. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
The ATF office in Albuquerque and APD investigated this case, which is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Trembley under a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst" offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
