A New York City man who’s now been arrested 139 times thanked Democrats for guaranteeing his immediate release despite repeatedly swiping hundreds of dollars from unsuspecting subway commuters since the state’s new bail reform law went into effect Jan. 1.
Charles Barry, 56, has been arrested six times since the start of this year. He’s been released each time without having to post bail under New York’s new bail reform law since his alleged offenses were nonviolent, the New York Daily News reported. In the past, Barry’s served several stints in state prison and has a lengthy record, including six felonies, 87 misdemeanors and 21 missed court hearings, the newspaper reported, citing court records.
“Bail reform, it’s lit!” Barry yelled to reporters Thursday outside the NYPD Transit District 1 headquarters in the Columbus Circle station before officers transported him to Manhattan Central Booking. “It’s the Democrats! The Democrats know me and the Republicans fear me. You can’t touch me! I can’t be stopped!”
After his most recent arrest Thursday, Barry was held in custody for about 36 hours until his Saturday morning arraignment hearing in his Manhattan Criminal Court. He was then released before trial without paying bail. He had two warrants out for his arrest for missing court dates related to past alleged subway theft, including one instance in January when he allegedly snatched a $50 bill out of a woman’s hand while she was trying to buy a Metro card at a Bryant Park stationmachine.
Officers arrested him Thursday after he was spotted jumping a subway turnstile in Penn Station. Barry, a career criminal, has repeatedly duped subway-goers by dressing as MTA officials and robbing people after offering to help them buy their tickets, police said.
“I’m famous! I take $200, $300 a day of your money, cr****r! You can’t stop me!” Barry shouted to reporters. “It’s a great thing. It’s a beautiful thing. They punk’ed people out for bull***t crimes.”
A high-ranking official in the New York City Police Department said because of the new bail reform law, offenders like Barry are released and then repeat the same crimes because judges cannot order them to be held in jail before trial. Sometimes, what begins as a nonviolent crime often turns violent if a robbery goes awry, he added.
“At least before, he’d be remanded and be behind bars for a couple of days. He wouldn’t be able to victimize people,” Assistant Chief Gerald Dieckmann, the No. 2 officer in the NYPD’s Transit Bureau, told the New York Daily News. “When someone doesn’t pay them or give them the money, it’ll turn into a robbery, a slashing an assault.”
But Legal Aid Society, which represents Barry, argued the NYPD is using a few cases to spread fear over the new bail reform law.
“Mr. Barry’s case underscores the need for economic stability and meaningful social services, not a need to roll back bail reform,” the society said in a statement. “Locking up Mr. Barry on unaffordable bail or worse, remanding without bail, ultimately does nothing to protect the public and fails entirely to address his actual needs.”
Credit: Fox News
Photo Credit: Daily News
Yeah but you pay when you go to court. How is this guy even walking around? ????????♀️????????♀️
Michele NJ because the left needs votes. It’s not about reform, it’s about power
George Williams I get that point but the guy keeps paying?
George Williams you don’t pay you eventually stay in jail
Michele NJ yep, because the cons don’t outweigh the pros
George Williams what’s his Job? lol
Michele NJ look, he got arrested over 100 times. He probably committed 1,000 crimes. 100 is what he got caught with. If he stealing $10,000 worth of stuff, and his bail is only worth $500, any criminal will keep doing it
George Williams got ya… Yeah but they didn’t recover Anything? Idk sounds totally insane to me. An embarrassment.
Michele NJ #YouGotThatRight
Michele NJ the embarrassment should be the bail reform
George Williams They set the bar way too high on that one. ROR was good enough judgement?
Michele NJ probably robbing more people and getting away with it to pay his fines
It’s not “Bail Reform”, it’s get out of jail free cards
George Williams ????
Ocean County Scanner News ????
Scapegoating….when facts mean little to nothing. This guy is an entitled 139 time loser. But since this is in NY. Why should we care?
Scott A Barnes Bail reform effects everyone
Ocean County Scanner News I know. I don’t see how this dude in the city affects us
Scott A Barnes because this same shit happens here as well…everyday…????
Holli-Linn Pierce I’d rather hear bout those around hear screwing over bail reform than a scumbag 60 plus miles away
Scott A Barnes New York city is less than one mile from New Jersey.
John Holden oh ffs
Scott A Barnes and when he gets out on bail reform and comes after your family than come ask us why this is important..
Karen E Hurley from NYC? I don’t subscribe to fear mongering sorry. More likely to stay in the city or go to Hudson n Bergen not in ocean county
Scott A Barnes I think the point is it can happen.. and it is happening. These idiots are laughing at bail reform and doing whatever it is they choose, so sorry I believe it could happen
Karen E Hurley is rather worry bout people here than in another state. Believe whatever is instilled into you. Not me
Scott A Barnes but of course. But we all know this Country is going to shit so I say nothing would surprise me these days.. ????♀️????♀️
Scott A Barnes fact of the matter is to continue to show people hear how much of a failure both bail reform and those who supported it are
David Demsey how so? An assumption with no merit, proof, basis or brains behind it. Just because I’m the type that I don’t have to announce to all sheep who’ll listen that bail reform is stupid. Does mean a damn thing for those that assume to know. Good try
Criminals be like
Paul Cobra pretty much ????
The headline would be accurate if that RINO, Chris Christie was a Democrat. It wouldn’t have happened without him.
Jacqueline Velasquez ????????
Next he’s going to ask for a trial without evidence or witnesses..
Ridiculous
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Free them
Degenerate scumbag
Al Sharpton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASWGIb6NoLA
Republicans are justbas f’ing stupid as this guy. He’s been arrest this year 6 times sonce the NEW LAW CAME INTONAFFECT BUT, you morons he was arrested 133 times prior before the law changed you morons.
Lew Fiord Yes but prior to the Law being changed he had to post bail, that’s the difference! Now his crimes are not only completely free but he’ll be rewarded for them thanks to the MORON Democrats.
It’s funny that you are defending that he got arrested six times lol
Edie Elizabeth…, no he didn’t these crimes are low level most times ROR. My old co-worker is a sgt with NYPD said there’s a WHOLE lot of BULL SHIT in this.
George Williams…, pointing out how this is article is twisting things and how stupid people are to blanket look at it without thinking about the other 133 times.
Amazing part is…you sure as hell don’t see Christie getting mugged do you??? Must be nice to have all those state police for security huh?
Don’t blame the Democrats for this…even though Murphy’s letting them all out to
What needs to happen to this loser is he’s gonna rob the wrong person one day! That’ll be the end of his career.
Danny Marinella Yeah, that’s the truth.
You demo rats suck. Someone will kill the low life soon.
Ya know … red or blue, doesn’t matter …. this kind of stuff needs to be put to us people to vote on …. none of them are serving the whole …. we shouldn’t have to accept the parts we don’t like because it’s part of “their political platform” … that methods is and has been outdated for decades and obviously hasn’t been working out.