Man Threw Concrete Block, Planted Rats In Atlanta Bribery Case

ATLANTA, GA -- An Atlanta man accused of throwing a concrete block through a window and placing dead rodents on the porch of a key figure in a federal corruption investigation surrounding city of Atlanta contracts has pleaded guilty to obstruction, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

Shandarrick Lamar Barnes, 41, will be sentenced Feb. 7, 2018, for his part in the case in trying to prevent E.R. Mitchell, an owner of construction companies who later pleaded guilty to conspiring to pay more than $1 million in payments in exchange for receiving contracts with the city, from cooperating with federal agents.

“Barnes threw the concrete block through Mitchell’s dining room window to get him to shut up,” said U. S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Instead, that violent act made Mitchell even more resolute in his cooperation with federal law enforcement. Barnes now faces a significant prison sentence because he decided to obstruct a federal investigation.”

According to prosecutors, IRS and FBI special agents approached Mitchell in July 2015 for an interview related to their ongoing inquiries into corruption in the city government. During the meeting, agents discussed corruption allegations as well as potential tax improprieties. Shortly after the IRS and FBI agents approached and interviewed him, Mitchell informed others that federal law enforcement had spoken with him and was asking questions.

Mitchell was interviewed on Sept. 2, 2015, by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI and IRS agents and confessed to regularly paying “up-front money” for city of Atlanta contracts. On Sept. 8, 2015, Mitchell returned to the office and completed a second debriefing with prosecutors and agents. Around 5:30 a.m. Sept. 11, 2015, Barnes threw a concrete block with the words, "ER, keep your mouth shut," written on the side through Mitchell's home window, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

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When he came outside, Mitchell saw dead rats had been placed on his porch, car and in his mailbox, the office added. Local police and FBI were dispatched to the scene, and officers obtained security footage from Mitchell's subdivision. That footage captured a car appearing to match Barnes' vehicle leaving the area within minutes after Mitchell's home was vandalized.

On July 13 and Aug. 17, 2016, Barnes was interviewed by the FBI and IRS, and admitted to throwing the concrete block through Mitchell’s window. Barnes also informed agents he was aware of the IRS tax investigation and others and "that agents had asked about Mitchell’s taxes as well as payments Mitchell made to businesses associated with Barnes’ employer," Pak's office added.

"He was well aware that Mitchell was actively cooperating with agents," the office notes. "He said he was livid and his decision to throw the brick through Mitchell’s window was motivated by his desire to hinder Mitchell’s communication with agents concerning possible tax violations. He said he felt that Mitchell’s communications to federal law enforcement would negatively affect his employer’s businesses. Barnes was concerned that the communication with agents was detrimental to obtaining other business that he and others were actively seeking at that time."

Mitchell was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty in January to bribing city officials with more than $1 million for several projects over multiple years. The case is being investigated by the FBI, and Assistant U.S. Attorney's Kurt R. Erskine and Jeffrey Davis are prosecuting the case.

Photo: Shandarrick Lamar Barnes. Credit: Fulton County Jail