Manchester man sentenced to 5 years for drug trafficking

MANCHESTER — A Manchester man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his intent to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.

John Barber, 32, received the 60-month sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott, along with three years of supervised release following his prison term.

Barber was also ordered to forfeit roughly $3,000 in proceeds from his drug trafficking activities.

During the sentencing, Young emphasized the gravity of Barber’s intentions to distribute significant quantities of dangerous drugs into local communities.

“The sentence imposed by the Court not only stops the defendant from selling drugs for the next 60 months, but it also strips from him his ill-gotten drug trafficking proceeds,” Young stated.

The FBI’s Major Offender Task Force and the New Hampshire State Police played critical roles in Barber’s apprehension. “John Barber intended to traffic significant amounts of meth and fentanyl onto New Hampshire’s streets,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Today’s sentence puts Mr. Barber officially out of business.”

The investigation into Barber’s activities began when a New Hampshire State Trooper stopped a vehicle on Interstate 93 for a traffic violation on Feb. 23, 2022.

Barber, a passenger in the car, was found with numerous plastic baggies, a digital scale, and a locked zipper pouch containing 45 grams of methamphetamine and 130 grams of fentanyl, along with $3,000 in cash.

Barber admitted to his intent to distribute the drugs found in the pouch.

Further investigation led to an Aug. 23, 2022 search warrant execution at Barber’s camper in Manchester, where approximately 75 grams of methamphetamine were discovered.

Barber confessed that the methamphetamine belonged to him, and the packaging indicated distribution.

Under the charging statute, Barber faced a maximum of 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1,000,000.

Sentences are based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutory considerations.

The FBI spearheaded the investigation with assistance from the Manchester Police Department and the New Hampshire State Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Gingrande and Matthew Hunter prosecuted the case.