RFP Staff
♦ Rowan County commissioner Jon Barber’s troubles with the law and alcohol continue to mount. After a lengthy investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Jon Barber will now be charged with misdemeanor larceny for using a county copy machine to make thousands of personal copies for his “My Farm Fresh” business and other “non profit” entities.
A summons to appear in court was served Tuesday. He will appear in court today Wednesday. Will he enter a guilty plea to misdemeanor larceny?
D.A. Brandy Cook handed over Jon Barber’s CopyGate case to a special prosecutor’s program called the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys Financial Crimes Initiative to handle such allegations. Later the case was sent forward to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) where it eventually wound up with SBI agent Hal F. Askins.
The county commissioners reported confronting Barber in a closed session in January 2013 about his misuse of the county copier. Chairman Jim Sides told the Rowan Free Press that Commissioner Barber apologized and promised that the copying would not occur again. It did. In November of 2013 made many thousands of color copies on the county copy machine. A report by the County Risk Manager showed that the copies were for Barber’s business “My Farm Fresh Marketplace” and several other of Mr. Barber’s non profit enterprises. According to the County Risk Manager’s Report copies were frequently made over the weekend and very often early in the morning. Frequently the copies were made on such a large scale that the toner would run out.
County Clerk Carolyn Barger wrote in the County Risk Manager’s report: “We came in, our copier in the work area was jammed and also out of toner. So when we repaired all the jams and replaced toner, the machine kicked in with the current copy jobs. It was a color flyer for Commissioner Barber’s business or apparently for a huge event he was running the flyer for that was at Farm Fresh Produce, his business.”
It was reported to the Rowan Free Press that Mr. Barber also made numerous copies for his personal business over at the Rowan Public Library. It was not known at this time if these copies were paid for or were part of the SBI intensive investigation.
In recent months Mr. Barber, a self-admitted alcoholic, has renewed his struggle with alcohol. The County Chairman reported that Barber appeared drunk and slurring his words during an conference with the LGC. Within the last several weeks a retired deputy sheriff reported Barber appearing drunk and argumentative at Porky’s Diner in Salisbury, N.C., where he ran his vehicle over a curb in Porky’s parking lot.
If Mr. Barber enters a guilty plea he will no doubt have to avoid alcohol entirely or face going to prison.
Mr. Barber was previously convicted of two DUIs and the Rushco wine larceny. Several years ago he resigned from his teaching job at Southeast Middle school after he showed up intoxicated. He claimed at the time of his resignation he was leaving for “a better business opportunity”.
Recently it came to light Barber read an attack script at the County Commission prepared for him by the “mutually terminated” former city manager Doug Paris. The script and video appear here:
Articles about Mr. Barber’s previous difficulties with the legal system and the school system:
http://slspublish.bits.baseview.com/area/304234439935767.php
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/rowan-co-commissioner-accused-of-shoplifting/nGQ9Y/
http://www.bluenc.com/rowan-county-commissioner-gods-instrument
http://www.salisburypost.com/article/20110509/SP0501/305099979/0/SEARCH&slId=6
http://www.wect.com/story/12514902/teacher-accused-of-being-drunk-in-class-admits-hes-an-alcoholic
http://www.salisburypost.com/article/20110508/SP0101/305089991/
http://www.salisburypost.com/article/20110815/SP0101/308159989/
http://salisbury.wbtv.com/news/crime/67943-probation-jon-barber-shoplifting-conviction
