Worthington man charged with perjury
WORTHINGTON — Just days after being charged with his third DWI in six years, Bryce Barrett applied for a public defender to assist with his court case.
WORTHINGTON — Just days after being charged with his third DWI in six years, Bryce Barrett applied for a public defender to assist with his court case.
The order was granted after he filled out paperwork, took an oath and swore the statements on the application regarding his income and financial status were true.
After the statement, “I understand that I could be prosecuted for perjury if the court finds they are not true,” Barrett signed the application.
He is now facing a felony count of perjury in Nobles County District Court.
The criminal complaint states 48-year-old Barrett was arrested Feb. 1 by the Minnesota State Patrol for driving while impaired in a 2011 Ford Mustang.
When he spoke to the collector/screener in the Nobles County Court Administrator’s Office, he stated he lives with his girlfriend, who supports him, and owns a 2009 Ford Mustang with a lien that belongs to his girlfriend.
He indicated he has been unemployed since 2008 and does not have money in any bank accounts.
The information from the application was run through a vehicle services system and came back as a 2011 model.
The detective assigned to the case contacted the Marshall Minnesota State Patrol office and spoke to the employee responsible for vehicle forfeiture matters for that office.
He learned the current title information was incomplete as a purchase transfer of title as pending.
The detective found the vehicle was purchased Jan. 12 under the name of Barrett’s long-time girlfriend.
The auto dealer informed the detective the Mustang had been paid for by check in full at the time of purchase for $29,928.
Noted on the personal check was a phone number that matched Barrett’s home phone.
The detective spoke to the girlfriend, who said the car was seized after Barrett was arrested for driving intoxicated.
She said she had saved $33,000 over a time span of four to five years, but did not keep the money in the bank due to bills she owed.
She said the source of her money was Social Security disability payments and confirmed that Barrett had received a cash settlement from a work-related injury.
Bank records show Barrett opened an account in April 2011 with an initial deposit of $175,000.
The signature on the account showed Barrett was unemployed at the time he opened the account.
A check for $29,928 was issued on the account in January.
On Feb. 2 — the day Barrett filled out his application for a public defender — the account had an average daily balance of $103,254.
The detective also spoke with the Nobles County Assessor’s office and found Barrett is listed as a co-trustee of real estate in Worthington which was willed to him by his grandmother and transferred into his name when he was 25 years old.
Barrett is scheduled to make a first appearance on the perjury charge Wednesday.
His past criminal charges include DWI, domestic assault, possession of marijuana, controlled substance sale, driving after revocation, terroristic threats and contempt of court.
Tags: news, crime, worthington, man, charged, perjury
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