A 31-year-old man, Alexander Kean Barber, has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for stealing a trailer containing over $60,000 worth of firearms and ammunition from a hotel parking lot on Hayden Island in May 2022.
Barber and his accomplice, then 19-year-old Angelina Pintor-Schindler, stole an F-250 truck attached to a trailer filled with 35 guns, including shotguns, pistols, AR-15 rifles, and hunting rifles intended for display at a Shooting Sports & Blade Expo in Portland.
As of now, federal agents have managed to recover 19 of the stolen firearms, leaving 16 still unaccounted for. U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut expressed concern during Barber’s sentencing regarding the potential for these missing weapons to be used in violent crimes.
When questioned by the judge about the serious implications of the stolen guns potentially being involved in a homicide, Barber acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating, “I feel the same way … I kind of played hot potato with them.”
Barber claimed he was shocked to discover that the trailer was filled with firearms, assuming it contained tools instead. When the judge pressed for an explanation regarding why he didn’t return the trailer after the theft, Barber admitted, “I was scared. I understand the severity of it. It could have ended up really bad.”
Judge Immergut pointed out that the situation could still lead to severe consequences, reinforcing the seriousness of Barber’s actions.
The sentence, which totaled five years and three months in prison, was a joint recommendation from prosecutor Nicole Bockelman and defense lawyer Anthony Schwartz. Barber had pleaded guilty in April to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case originated when Julie Zielke and her sons witnessed the theft of their truck and trailer while they were packing their belongings in their hotel room at the Oxford Suites on North Jantzen Drive.
Zielke, who was managing events for Tactical Ordnance at the time, mentioned that some firearms belonged to her son and others were intended for sale at the weekend expo.
Shortly after the theft, police traced the thieves to another hotel nearby, the Best Western Hotel on Hayden Meadows Drive, discovering the suspects’ parked black Subaru Crosstrek along with the stolen F-250 truck and trailer.
Pintor-Schindler, driving a different stolen truck, attempted to flee police while hitched to the stolen trailer, leading to a dangerous chase through red lights and over curbs before crashing into multiple cars on the Interstate Bridge.
Reports indicate that Barber successfully evaded authorities for several weeks before federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives located him on May 19, 2022. During a call with the agents, Barber expressed his anxiety by asking for reassurance and reflecting on the severity of the situation, saying, “I’m still trying to process, my life is possibly over.”
In a recorded call on May 20, Barber indicated that he was considering attempting to recover the stolen guns he had distributed, emphasizing his troubled state of mind.
After his arrest, Barber mentioned to federal agents his intention to turn himself in while expressing a desire to retrieve the stolen firearms. Some of these guns were later discovered buried in a Northeast Portland backyard, where Mario Arturo Tamayo admitted he had helped Barber hide the firearms, recognizing they were stolen as some still had price tags attached.
Tamayo has since been sentenced to three months in jail for his involvement in the incident. Pintor-Schindler received a sentence of just over one year in custody, concluding in December 2023.
Throughout the proceedings, Barber cited a long history of addiction struggles, stating that a relapse into methamphetamine use played a role in his actions during the theft. He acknowledged a personal “debt to pay to society” following his criminal actions.
As part of the sentencing, Judge Immergut indicated that she would consider whether to order Barber to cover a portion of the restitution amount owed by Pintor-Schindler, which totals $73,200 for damages inflicted on four vehicles involved in the crash. Barber’s attorney argued against holding him responsible for this restitution, while the prosecution contended that he should share liability for the damage, although the firearms’ owners did not seek any restitution.
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