MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man convicted of running a car auction scheme and
skipping his trial date has been taken into custody.

Leandre Barner was arrested early Friday morning by the DeSoto County
Fugitive Division and the Memphis Police Department Fugitive Division.

https://wreg.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/07/Barner-in-Custody-1-
e1722006388694.jpg

Barner was found guilty several years ago in Shelby County in a car auction
scheme exposed by the WREG Investigators.

He posed as a car dealer offering low prices on vehicles at auction, but
the
victims who paid him never received their cars or their money back.

Barner was indicted by a grand jury in DeSoto County, Mississippi in 2022,
accused of running the same scheme on an Olive Branch man.

A judge issued a bench warrant for his arrest on June 24 after he didn’t
show up for trial.

Barner is also scheduled to be back in Shelby County Court on Monday.

Prosecutors filed a motion to have his suspended sentence revoked after he
failed to pay some $90,000 in restitution to victims.

A spokesperson for the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office
previously
told WREG that prosecutors were working with Barner and he was attending
court report dates to provide updates on restitution payments.

We’ve reached out to the DA’s office to find out if and how that may
change
given his arrest in DeSoto County.

https://wreg.com/news/investigations/man-convicted-in-90k-car-auction-
scheme-now-in-custody/