Ryan Thomas Barber

On 3/11/26 at 1001 hours, Maplewood Police were notified of a fraud/motor vehicle theft that occurred at Lexus of Maplewood; [ADDRESS REDACTED]. N, in Maplewood, Ramsey County. The complainant/Lexus employee, JLM, told police that on 2/7/26, Ryan Thomas BARBER ([DOB REDACTED]) purchased a 2016 Mercedes GLE (MN/2KJ237) from the dealership and paid with a personal check in the amount of $28,110.81. The check was drawn on account #1931 at the Community Federal Bank. The check, however, was returned for Insufficient Funds.

The dealership contacted BARBER. BARBER returned to the dealership on 2/12/26 and wrote a second check for the same amount. This check was drawn on account #5788 at the Navy Federal Credit Union. This check was also returned for Insufficient Funds. JLM said that after the second check bounced, their attempts to contact BARBER were unsuccessful. One attempt was a direct message to BARBER demanding he return the vehicle by 03/09/2026 and telling him that if he didn’t, police would be called. JLM also learned that a Wright County Deputy was investigating a similar incident involving BARBER (Wright County case #26006143). Maplewood police were familiar with BARBER and knew he had recently been arrested and charged for a similar incident at Maplewood Toyota where he wrote a fraudulent check to purchase a vehicle (CN 26000543/ Court File #62-CR-26-185). When examining the “Community Federal Bank” check that BARBER presented to Lexus, a Maplewood Detective immediately identified it as fraudulent.

The check was the same one, with a different check number, that BARBER had written in the Maplewood Toyota fraud case. In that case, after being Mirandized, BARBER admitted knowing the check was fake. The bank’s address on the fake "Community Federal Bank" was listed as [ADDRESS REDACTED] C West. No such bank exists at that address. In addition, the check contained typographical errors and inconsistent text sizes. Wells Fargo Bank also advised the check was fraudulent and that the account linked to the check never existed.

On 3/11/26, Brooklyn Park Police located Lexus’ stolen Mercedes at BARBER's address in Brooklyn Park. BARBER was in the vehicle and taken into custody. In a post-Miranda statement, BARBER admitted buying the Mercedes from Lexus and presenting both of the checks. BARBER then lied and said he made a $2,900 down payment using a credit card and cash. BARBER also lied and said he was scheduled to meet with Lexus personnel today. BARBER denied that the “Community Federal” check was fake but then tried to make a deal with the officer to work off the criminal charge.

BARBER has at least 20 felony convictions; 16 of which are theft/fraud related. For purposes of Rule 6.02, BARBER has 23 open felony charges pending; 20 of which are theft/fraud related.