Indy violent felon found guilty for stealing nearly $1M in bank fraud scheme
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis violent felon received a guilty verdict after police found drugs in his socks, gun parts, and stolen checks worth nearly $1 million in a stolen car following a traffic stop in 2023.
Derrick Barbour, 27, was convicted by a federal jury after a four-day trial for unlawful possession of a machine gun, being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a U.S. Postal Service Arrow Key, possession of stolen mail, and bank fraud, a release said on Wednesday.
According to court documents, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers stopped a Chevrolet Impala that was previously reported stolen in the early morning hours on Feb. 10, 2023.
Barbour, who was driving the Impala, refused to get out of the vehicle despite officers instructions.
IMPD SWAT officers responded and removed Barbour from the vehicle and placed him under arrest. When Barbour was searched, officers found a baggie of cocaine in of his sock and part of a handgun in his other sock.
Two loaded handguns, a 10 mm Glock model 20 handgun that has been reported stolen, and a Glock 17 9 mm handgun equipped with a Glock switch, was located inside the vehicle.
According to a release, installing a Glock switch requires the removal of a part of the handgun. The trial evidence showed that the handgun piece found in Barbour’s sock when he was arrested was the part of the Glock 17 handgun that had been removed to install the Glock switch.
In addition to firearms, officers also found a significant amount of stolen mail in the vehicle, containing checks and money orders made out to other people and businesses, per the release. Barbour also had two arrow keys hanging from his keyring that are used to access U.S. Postal Service collection boxes.
Officials say the two arrow keys were reported missing in late 2022 from the Bacon Station Post Office in Indianapolis.
Law enforcement officers also recovered a laptop, a typewriter, and a duffel bag containing additional checks, as well as blank check stock from the trunk of the Impala. Police say many of the checks were altered to include Barbour’s name.
The total value of the checks and money orders recovered added up to $886,117.90.
Barbour had been previously convicted of multiple felonies, including attempted robbery, possession of cocaine, and residential entry. He faces up to 70 years in federal prison.