Atlanta

City leaders criticized for hiring key figure in bribery investigation

By Mark Winne, WSB-TV
By Mark Winne, WSB-TV

ATLANTA — A prosecutor is criticizing Atlanta city leaders for hiring a man who is now a key figure in a bribery investigation.

Investigators say Shandarrick Barnes tried to intimidate a city contractor who is now cooperating with the feds after pleading guilty to bribery.

“When you heard that he had not only gotten out of prison, but had gone to work for the city of Atlanta, what was your reaction?” Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne asked prosecutor John Melvin.

“I can't really repeat what I thought, but my jaw hit the ground,” Melvin told Winne.

Barnes' name has now gone public in connection with two major cases involving the public's business.

“If he had taken his criminal mind and actually put it to a good purpose, there is no limit to what Mr. Barnes could do,” Melvin said.

The first case dates back to 2010.

“The DeKalb County Sheriff's Department got stung for over $300,000,” Melvin said. “I describe it as the hand of God.”

Melvin was the lead public corruption prosecutor for DeKalb County at that point. He is now chief assistant district attorney in Cobb County.

“Shandarrick Barnes cooperated with you?” Winne asked Melvin.

“From the very beginning,” Melvin said.

He said Barnes was sentenced to 30 years in prison, to do 10. But unbeknownst to Melvin, Barnes did substantially less than half the 10 years in prison he got in his plea deal.

Once out of prison, he went to work for the city of Atlanta.

“The idea that any city government would hire this person is beyond the pale,” Melvin said.

A document indicates last year that Barnes was accused of throwing a brick through construction CEO E. R. Mitchell's window, and that Mitchell was cooperating with the FBI as "a witness for a corruption case."

The document indicates Barnes confessed.

“Shandarrick is a very savvy person,” Melvin said.

One of Barnes' references listed in his city paperwork was Mitzi Bickers.

Documents pertaining to Bickers have been sought in a 2016 federal subpoena recently released by the city.

“He came through our normal application process,” City of Atlanta H.R. Commissioner Yvonne Yancy told Winne.

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Yancy said Barnes worked for the city from February 2014 through June 2016, first as a solid-waste worker, then as a storekeeper in public works.

“The city for decades has had a philosophy of giving people a second chance in employment, removing the barrier based on conviction ...  to give people an opportunity to change their lives,” Yancy said.

She said Barnes would’ve been fired if arrested while still a city employee but he had left and that she has no specific knowledge of Barnes' hiring process.

His city file contains information about his 2010 RICO case.

“If we have information, they didn't check all his references?” Winne asked Melvin.

“Whoever made that hire needs to be held accountable for it. They literally are letting the fox in the hen house,” Melvin said.

“What is the policy?” Winne asked Yancy.

“That we ask people for references and we do in fact check them,” Yancy said.

Another reference name Barnes gave is that of city official Andrea Boone, but a city spokesperson indicates she was not contacted as a reference and did not know she was being used as a reference.

In fairness, Channel 2 Action News does not know of anything tying her to the investigation.

Another one of Barnes' references told us the city of Atlanta never contacted him about Barnes' employment there.

Cox Media Group

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