New York City Felon Sentenced to 77 Months for D.C. Swatting and Carjacking Incidents

WASHINGTON - Thierno Barry, 23, a previously convicted felon who resided in Queens, New York, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 77 months in federal prison in the March 2025 multijurisdictional crime spree that included a high-speed police chase, the swatting of a random Northwest residence and a subsequent carjacking of an elderly couple the same day at Union Station, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Barry, aka "Usman Barrie," pleaded guilty on January 22, 2026, to one count of carjacking, to one count of interstate transport of a stolen vehicle, and to making false alarms and reports. In addition to the 77-month prison term, Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Barry to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 102 months.

"Thierno Barry led police on a 120-mile-per-hour chase while live-streaming the pursuit, filed a false shooting report that sent officers rushing to a sleeping family's home, and carjacked an elderly couple on their way to the hospital," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "This violent and reckless conduct put countless lives at risk. Our office will continue to hold accountable anyone who treats the District as a playground for violence and lawlessness."

According to court documents, at about midnight on March 31, 2025, Barry was being pursued by Virginia State Police when he drove into the District. During the chase which reach speeds over 120 m.p.h., Barry used his cellphone to post to social media, including an Instagram selfie with the caption "Run or pull over like a ?bitch" at 11:41 p.m. At 11:52 p.m., Barry posted a video narrating the pursuit, saying: " . . . I'm talking about five state troopers on my a** bro! I swear to god . . ."

Barry abandoned the Volkswagen SUV he was driving in an alley behind 4300 block of Reno Road, NW. Metropolitan Police officers responded to the area at 12:21 a.m., recovered the vehicle, but were unable to locate Barry.

At 1:30 a.m., Barry called 911 and falsely reported to the operator that his ex-husband had shot his wife in the face and chest. He indicated that the shooter had driven away. Barry provided an address on Brandywine Street NW where he claimed the shooting had occurred. At the time Barry made the report, he knew that it was false. A few minutes after Barry made the call, 911 operators attempted to call back the phone number that had made the report but were sent to voicemail. The voicemail mailbox recording stated that the mailbox belonged to "Thierno Barry."

MPD responded to the address of the reported shooting and made contact with the residents of the house, who were asleep when MPD arrived.

Barry remained in the area until 2:30 a.m., when video footage showed him at the 4200 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW boarding a WMATA bus. 3:11 a.m. he switched to another bus in the 2100 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

Barry boards the second WMATA bus.

Shortly after getting off of the bus, Barry entered Union Station. Security guards reported that an individual matching Barry's description was kicked out of station about 3:30 a.m. after making threats to commit a shooting there.

At 3:37 a.m., Barry approached a Buick sedan occupied by an 88-year-old man and an 87-year-old woman who had been stopped directly in front of the station.

Barry approached the driver's side, then reached into the open window and opened the driver's side door. Barry ordered the couple out of the car repeatedly, stating "Get out of the car! If you don't, I'm gonna kill you." Barry told the victims that he had a gun and held his hand in the pocket of his sweatshirt to imitate a firearm.

Surveillance photo shows Barry behind the wheel of the Buick sedan, as the 88-year-old man (CW-3) attempts to get up from the street where Barry had thrown him to the ground.

The victims told Barry that they could not give him the car because they were on their way to the hospital, but Barry continued to threaten them and demand the car.

With the driver's door still opened, Barry grabbed hold of the driver's upper body, physically wrenched him out of the vehicle, and threw him to the ground. Barry stepped over the man and climbed into the driver's seat. The woman passenger got out of the car. With the doors still open, Barry drove away, eventually reaching a gas station in Greenbelt, Maryland. During that drive, images of the car were captured by a speed camera. Barry only stopped driving after the car suffered a flat tire.

The Greenbelt Police Department apprehended Barry, who initially identified himself as with the alias "Usaman Barrie."

Barry has two prior felony convictions and has seven other open cases outside of this jurisdiction.

This case was investigated by the MPD, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the Greenbelt Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan.

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