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Kinston man accused in scheme to scam Superior Court judge

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published March 12, 2026 at 7:09 AM EDT

A Kinston man was arrested after accusations that he tried to scam hundreds of thousands of dollars—from a Superior Court judge.

George Barfield, Jr. was arrested Tuesday following a month-long investigation by the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies say Barfield forged an official IRS form and sent it to Judge Imelda Pate, claiming a flooring company owed him more than $650,000.

Barfield now faces several felony charges, including forgery and attempting to obtain property by false pretenses. He’s currently being held without bond, as officials say he was already on pretrial release for a separate crime when this new scheme was discovered.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston