(Photo: Ronald Pechtimaldjian/ALM)
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority sanctioned a former Northwestern Mutual Investment Services representative after it was discovered he did not in a timely way disclose he had been charged with child sexual abuse activity and two other felonies last year in Flint, Michigan, according to FINRA.
Without admitting or denying the findings, John Robert Barrows on Jan. 23 signed a FINRA letter of acceptance, waiver and consent in which he agreed to an 8-month suspension with any FINRA member firm in any capacity and to pay a $5,000 fine. FINRA accepted the letter Jan. 31.
According to The Detroit Free Press, Barrows was caught in a sting operation, along with 21 others, in which police officers posed as 14-year-olds and "had digital conversations with the suspects, agreeing to meet at hotels and motel rooms where the suspects were arrested."
Northwestern Mutual did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. The firm terminated him Jun 24, 2019, and he has not been associated with any FINRA member firms since then, according to the regulator.
He is not currently registered as a broker, according to his profile on FINRA's BrokerCheck website.
