‘I’m done,’ says subway scam artist

He says his life of crime is done. Now he’s got his chance to prove it.

Charles Barry, a serial mass transit scammer with more than 142 arrests spanning three decades, was ordered released from jail Monday — sprung after he was locked up on $10,00 bail last Thursday despite new bail reform laws.

Judge Jay Weiner ordered Barry cut loose on supervised release and warned: “Mr. Barry, there is not a judge in this courthouse who will not set bail if you willfully and persistently fail to appear. … It’s up to you. You’ve got to come back to court.”

Nodding vigorously, Barry replied, “Yes, I will appear your honor.”

Barry, whose alleged talent is tricking tourists into buying worthless MetroCards, notched his ninth arrest of 2020 on Wednesday when cops say he scammed two Brazilian tourists and a Dallas couple out of $25. He was ordered held on bail because he missed a court date in a felony case.

In a jailhouse interview with the Daily News, the 56year-old Barry said he’s swearing off crime.

“Once I get out of here, I can tell you one thing for sure: I’m done,” he said. Barry said he started stealing in 1986 to support his children after losing his job as a mailman, and insisted he never resorted to violence.

“I’ve done this for over 30 years,” he told The News. “I regret it, everything … who wouldn’t?”

Prosecutors on Monday sought to have Barry held on $20,000 bail for “willfully and persistently” missing court dates.

“He is aware of the bail reform laws and he is using the laws to his advantage,” said Assistant District Attorney Sarah McAteer.

Barry’s next court date is March 24.