Man gets 50-month prison sentence for multi-state burglaries targeting Asian homeowners
By Ryan General
A man from New Jersey was sentenced to 50 months in prison for his involvement in a series of residential burglaries that targeted Asian and Asian American homeowners.
Barr’s sentencing: Vauxhall resident Randi Barr, 42, had previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. During Barr’s sentencing on Aug. 15 at Newark federal court, Judge Padin also mandated restitution and forfeiture of $127,661 as part of his penalty.
Part of the crew: Barr was part of an interstate burglary ring believed to be responsible for over 50 home break-ins, all aimed at homes belonging to individuals of Asian descent. In May 2021, he was among the eight members of the burglary crew charged with “conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property” by New Jersey federal authorities.
Rachael Honig, who served as the acting U.S. District Attorney for New Jersey in 2021, described the crew then as a “sophisticated, multi-state burglary crew that targeted the homes of business owners of Asian descent, intending to steal the cash proceeds of their businesses as well as jewelry, foreign currency, and other property.”
There has been no update from the U.S. Attorney’s Office about the status of the other charged defendants, identified as Rabine Armour of Easton, Pennsylvania, Kevin Burton of Newark, Kevin Jackson of Rahway, Thomas Rodgers of Newark, James Hurt of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, Sherman Glasco of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Terrance Black of Irvington.
How the crew operated: Court documents revealed that Barr and his accomplices had engaged in a conspiracy spanning from Dec. 2, 2016, to March 20, 2019. During the period, they orchestrated a series of burglaries aimed at the residences of Asian small business owners residing in multiple states, including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The crew would then make off with substantial amounts of money, valuable jewelry and other items before transporting the stolen goods across state lines.
How they were caught: Law enforcement officers were able to trace the burglars upon the discovery of a dropped cell phone, which helped lead them to the perpetrators.
Barr’s criminal activities were initially brought to light when he was apprehended during a burglary in Hazelton, Pennsylvania, on March 20, 2019. He then confessed to being involved in three other burglaries linked to the crew. The arrest came as part of a larger crackdown on an interstate burglary ring that was responsible for over 50 home break-ins, all aimed at homes belonging to individuals of Asian descent.
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