Officer Pleads Not Guilty To Selling Gun To Known Felon

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis Metro police narcotics officer pleaded not guilty Monday to felony charges at an initial court appearance.

Jason Barber, 32, was charged with the sale of a handgun to a convicted felon and official misconduct.

Investigators said Barber sold the gun to a felon in March who was wearing a recording device and paid him in marked bills.

Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi said Barber's actions put other criminal cases in jeopardy.

"We will probably wind up dismissing several of those cases if all we have is the one narcotics officer who has been charged," Brizzi said. "We'll lose those cases."

At the hearing, the wife of a man Barber previously arrested in a drug case could not contain her glee.

"That's karma. What comes around goes around. I think that somebody in a position of authority should be slapped even harder than somebody who's not in a position of authority," the woman said. "Hopefully, he won't get off easy."

Barber's attorney, Terrance Kinnard, said his client is not guilty and that it will be proved in court.

"He served with truth and responsibility," Kinnard said. "He did have some dealings with this confidential informant obviously in helping him arrest other criminals. We believe the rest of what has been reported about Jason to be untrue."

Barber is being held on $100,000 bond. A bond reduction hearing is set for Wednesday. A jury trial was set for Sept. 2.