Bondsmen Make it Cheaper to Get Out of Jail

Bail bond agents are increasingly helping cash-strapped defendants get out of jail with ultra-cheap financing deals, a practice that worries law enforcement officials and insurers, and could endanger public safety.

To bolster their businesses during the recession, a growing number of bondsmen nationwide are requiring upfront payments that are only a fraction of the customary 10 percent premium amount - sometimes with no collateral. In exchange, the accused agree to make up the difference on credit cards or monthly installment plans.

Ten Tax Tips for Bail Agents Before 2009

With the year rapidly coming to a close, now is the time to start planning for end-of-the-year tax preparations for your business. Go ahead and spend money on your business now for things you’ll need next year so you won’t have to pay a giant tax bill in April. Remember, while we pay taxes, we’re not tax professionals. Also, state and local tax laws are different depending on where you live. Make sure you consult with your tax professional before the end of the year to make sure you’re not overlooking any deductions, or trying to deduct things that the IRS finds suspicious. You might not want to pay more taxes, but you definitely don't want to face an audit.

1. As part of the Economic Stimulus Plan of 2008, the limit on Section 179 deductions has been increased $250,000 for this year, double what it was last year. New and used equipment qualify for this deduction. Do you need a new computer? Now is the time to buy. It's alright if you need to finance these items - they're still deductible. It is important to note that any equipment you claim as a deduction must be in place and working by December 31, 2008. If you end up buying a new computer, make sure it is up and running before January 1. For more information on Section 179 deductions, check out this informative article from SmartMoney.com.

2. Believe it or not, it makes sense to buy an SUV. Ignore what we've said the rest of the year about not buying SUVs because of gas prices and green initiatives. The reason? If you buy an SUV that weighs more than 6,000 pounds and use it at least half of the time for business, you can deduct up to 75 percent of the purchase price. There are lots of SUVs that weigh more than 6,000 pounds: the Chevy Suburban, the Ford Excursion, and the Toyota Landcruiser. Now is an especially good time to invest in a new company vehicle, since car companies are drastically reducing the cost of vehicles. If you decide to put your company name on the vehicle, you can also deduct the cost of labor and materials to have that done. Talk to your tax professional to learn how to deduct up to 75 percent of the cost of certain SUVs this year.

3. Are you a member of PBUS? Of your state association? If not, you need to join your local, state, or national association. Business association dues are also tax deductible. This is a great deduction that also gives you the added benefit of great networkign opportunities.

4. Don't forget - education expenses can be deducted if it is a legal requirement for your job, or if they help you maintain or improve skills required in your present employment. Continuing education classes to maintain licensing are part of this category. Also, the registration fees for the conferences and conventions of the associations you just joined are deductible as well. Take the time to register now for conferences and continuing education classes that take place next year.

5. Book your airfare for any of the conferences you registered for, then deduct it as a travel expense, which includes air fare, hotel rooms, and car rentals. You can also deduct 50 percent of the costs for entertainment and meals, as long as they are related to business.

6. Advertising fees are another deductible business expense. Advertising fees include business cards, fliers, directory listings - basically anything that promotes and publicizes your business. If you are almost out of business cards, go ahead and order new ones so you're not caught cardless. If you advertise in any directories, ask if you can prepay next year's advertising now. Consider increasing your marketing budget and adding additional advertising. If you pay for next year’s advertising before December 31, you get twice the benefits. Not only do you help relieve this year’s tax burden, but you are driving new business to your company throughout 2009.

7. The recession is hard on everyone, but it is especially hard on charities. More people need the services of charitable organizations, while less people feel they can donate to them. Spread holiday cheer by making a contribution to your favorite charity or charities from your company. Not only will you be helping people in need and fostering a spirit of goodwill in the name of your company, but charitable contributions are tax deductible.

8. If your budget allows you, try to prepay recurring business expenses now. Consider prepaying rent for a couple months in January, or see if you can prepay your property insurance bill. Other recurring expenses you might be able to prepay include January’s cell phone or car insurance. If you pay these expenses by check, send them by registered or certified mail so you have proof that they were mailed by the end of 2008.

9. Here are a few other things that are deductible expenses because they fall into the “ordinary and usual” category: bank service charges, business-related magazines and books, casual labor and tips, coffee and beverage services, commissions, credit bureau fees, office supplies, parking and meters, postage, and promotion and publicity.

10. We've said it multiple times, and we'll say it again - consult a tax professional. No one knows tax laws better than the people who are paid to know them, and they certainly know them better than us. When in doubt, hire a CPA who will let you know for sure what can and cannot be claimed as a deduction. Remember, the cost of a CPA now just might save you the headache of an audit later.

Dying Bondsman Released from California Jail

A local bail bondsman who says he's dying of cancer was released from jail on bail, Lerdo jail officials said.

Joaquin Gracilazo Cruz, 65, is accused of cheating clients out of their property and holding clients hostage.

He's been jailed since his arrest. His attorney, Arturo Revelo, says Cruz is not getting the chemotherapy treatment that he needs. He called Cruz's wait for bail a death sentence.

Cruz's family gathered money for his bail, but the judge required them to prove the money was not the product of crime.

On Wednesday morning, the judge lowered bail to $75,000 and removed that requirement.

A letter to the judge from Dr. Ravi Patel of the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center says Cruz has six months or less to live.

Cruz, his wife and four others are charged with 33 felonies following a two-year investigation into accusations that they tricked and coerced clients into giving up property that had been put up for bail.

The wife, Eduvina "Diane" Chacon, and Isaac Trevino are accused of fraudulently getting title to clients' vehicles and houses and other property to sell or for their personal use. Losses from this totaled at least $298,000, according to a press release from the California Department of Insurance.

A New Type of Bounty Hunter

When someone mentions bounty in Hawaii, "Dog the Bounty Hunter" may come to mind. But a Windward Oahu couple is coming up with their own bounty, to sell their home.

Linda Harris and her husband haven't found much success in the real estate market these days. That's why they're offering a $100,000 bounty to anyone who can find a buyer for their two properties. So far, 12 people have stepped forward to work for that bounty.

"It's almost like a game show," Harris said. "It's got that same kind of energy and life that probably a game show has."

After dropping the price more than a half-million dollars on their Windward Oahu home, Linda Harris and her husband couldn't resist putting out a bounty to sell it.

"When the idea came up, it was like, wow, this will work, let's put it out into the world, so we talked about it and we think we have at least enough business sense to make it work," she said.

Both professors at UH, they started out by telling their grad students about it. Those two properties sit near the ocean. This home in Hauula is listed for $1.7 million and a 38-acre piece of land on the Big Island is on sale for $1.2 million.

"A few people have called and I've actually talked with them and they're oh, wow, this will cure my ills, I'll be able to pay my tuition, I'll be able to get my family in gear and they're out hunting," she said. "I'd rather see people gain from it, rather than an advertising company or a news organization, I'd rather see individuals gain from it."

The reward would be paid out by escrow when the properties have closed.

"Hopefully this is a great lesson in how creativity and innovation can result in something good for a lot of people," she said.

Harris says the bounty is legal. A state law allows one bounty per year for real estate. So far, a bounty hunter found a couple in California who came down to look at the home. Harris says the couple is now thinking it over.

If you're interested in getting the reward, you'll have to register with Harris. E-mail her at llharris@hawaii.edu.

Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler: Fugitive and Bounty Hunter?

Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler are in talks to star in an untitled bounty hunter comedy film for Columbia.

Variety reports Andy Tennant ("Hitch") has signed to direct the film – which follows a bounty hunter (Butler) hired to retrieve his ex-wife (Aniston) after she skips bail.

The film’s script was penned by Sarah Thorp ("Twisted"), and it is scheduled to start shooting in May. Neal Moritz is set to produce the film through his Sony-based Original Films.

Aniston is set to return to the big screen on Christmas Day with "Marley & Me," and has three films finished - "He's Just Not That Into You," "Traveling" and "Management."

Butler will be seen in the upcoming thriller “Game,” and the romantic comedy “The Ugly Truth” with Katherine Heigl.

Bondsmen Track Down Suspect

A man accused of a fatal shooting on Clarksville Pike was quickly caught by bail bondsmen equipped with a stun gun.

The bondsmen, employed by the U.S. Fugitive Apprehension Service, were working on a case when they saw Tyrone Davis, 29, get shot in a parking lot about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. They chased the suspect on foot and fired a Taser at him before catching him on 26th Avenue North, police said.

Nicholas Short, 19, was charged with criminal homicide. A handgun was found in his jacket, police said.

The bondsmen told police they saw the man go through Davis's pockets after the shooting.

Dozens Line Up for Chance to Meet "Dog"

Dozens of excited fans of Duane "Dog" Chapman lined up for the chance to get his autograph Wednesday.

It was quite a scene at "Da Dog House," a store that sells "Dog the Bounty Hunter" merchandise.

Dog and his crew from the popular A&E show met the fans, took pictures and signed whatever they wanted signed.

Plaxico Burress Posts Bail as Giants Weigh Options

Taken to court in handcuffs, Plaxico Burress posted $100,000 bail on weapons possession charges Monday as the frenzy grew around the New York Giants star receiver who accidentally shot himself in a nightclub.

Authorities said teammate Antonio Pierce was being investigated over his role in the weekend shooting, and the Super Bowl champion Giants weren't sure what action they would take, if any, against Burress. The NFL said it was monitoring developments. New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg also weighed in, saying it would be an outrage "if we didn't prosecute to the fullest extent of the law."

Doctor Says Bondsman Accused of Fraud has Four to Six Months to Live

The Bakersfield bondsman accused of tricking and coercing clients into giving up property that had been put up for bail has about four to six months to live, his doctor confirmed Thursday.

Joaquin Gracilazo Cruz, 65, has pancreatic cancer that in recent weeks has started growing rapidly, Dr. Ravi Patel said.

“His cancer is aggressive, and his life span is short,” Patel said.

Bondsman Accused of Fraud

A Bakersfield man says he was held at gunpoint by a bail bondsman and the bondsman's bounty hunters in a plan to extort money.

Brian Walker is the first of six people named in a California Department of Insurance investigation into Joaquin Cruz and his former bail bond company.

Cruz was due in court Tuesday to face extortion and false imprisonment charges. He declined an interview from Lerdo Jail.

"Those bounty hunters had guns on them, and they put you in their car driving you around, telling you to give them money," Walker said.

Walker said it wasn't until after his release from jail that his nightmare began. "I was scared to death, I had never been through nothing like that before," Walker said.

Walker's sister-in-law, Candie Hughes, put up the initial $10,000 to bail him out of jail. But, she said, days later she and her brother-in-law found themselves in the middle of an extortion plot. "They told us we're not leaving their side until they get a thousand dollars or my truck," Hughes said.

Walker and Hughes said Cruz and several of his family members kidnapped them. They say the bondsmen forced them to produce a thousand dollars in cash, or Walker would be re-arrested. "They were showing up harassing me at every court hearing I had, threatening they were going to take me to jail," Walker said. "They said they wanted more money, but I didn't owe them more money."

Officers arrested Cruz last week on two misdemeanor and 13 felony charges.

The Department of Insurance regulates bondsmen and has been investigating Cruz since at least 2006. A call from one customer turned up complaints from five others, who said Cruz demanded more money from them after freeing them on bail.

"I'm glad they got caught, because now I know we were not the only ones who went through it," Walker said. "They put a lot of people through the same stuff."

Several of Cruz's family members and co-workers also were arrested in the case, and face multiple felony charges.

Have a Credit Card? Post Your Own Bail

With the swipe of a credit card, jailed individuals can make bond. It is new technology to the Tulsa County Jail. Inmates can use Touch Pay to bond out.

Their family members can use it to add money to their accounts for items they want, sold at the jail, but not provided for free. Touch Pay is expected to cut booking time in half, and eliminate a lot of paperwork.

"They can actually swipe the card, and it will pay their bonds, so unless its like a DUI or public intox they can walk right through," said Chief Michelle Robinette.

Some bail bondsmen say the new system is hurting their business. "It really does cut us out of a lot of business because people can use their credit cards now where you know, we used to get them to come into our office, and that's where we make our money is off of bailing people out," said bail bondsman Rocky Cutler.

The Touch Pay system is free to the county. The provider company gets paid by a $3 card swipe fee.

Bounty Hunter to Continue on Anthony Case

Controversial bounty hunter Leonard Padilla said he plans to return to Central Florida to resume his search for missing 3-year-old Caylee Anthony.

Padilla said a donor has given him $50,000 to help look for the girl. He said the donor wished to remain anonymous.

The bounty hunter was most recently searching in and around the Little Econ River in Blanchard Park with a dive team for Caylee's remains.

At one point during the search, the dive team thought they found toys and bones that may have been connected to the case, but they turned out not to be bones at all.

Meanwhile, the case against the missing girl's mother, Casey Anthony, is scheduled to back to court Tuesday.

Casey remains behind bars, charged with her daughter's murder.

Casey's lawyer, Jose Baez, is expected to argue more motions before a judge, and look to get more evidence from the state.

Bondsman Discovers Potential Problem in the System

Ronald Rutkiewicz just opened his bond office last year, but already thinks he's uncovered an unfair playing field.

"If you have no fear of having to pay it if he doesn't show up...then you have no fear of reprisal of having to pay the money," Rutkiewicz told First Coast News' Erich Spivey.

Rutkiewicz filed suit against Putnam County Clerk Tim Smith. He says Smith failed to collect money when suspects skipped court appearances, what's known as jumping bond.

For example, Rutkiewicz says suspect Eddie Brown failed to show up for sentencing in July, 2007.

And, according to the suit, the clerk's office failed to file a claim against the bondsman until a year later. That's something required by law within 95 days of a suspect jumping bond.

"It's up to the clerk's office to basically collect that money and from what I've seen so far, they have not been doing so," Rutkiewicz says.

"Was there a reason why they weren't being collected?" First Coast News questioned.

"No, not a particular reason, other than these are very complicated cases," Smith says.

Smith is attending a clerk's conference in Orlando. He told First Coast News by phone that his office is now in compliance with Florida statutes.

"You had about $80,000 that you were behind on?" we asked.

"Yes," Smith answered.

"But you've collected it all?" "Yes."

"There were some that were past the date that the statutes allowed, and with the judge's help we've gone back and reviewed and looked at judge's orders and brought those up to current compliance," Smith says.

Successful Bexar County Bondsman Surrounded By Controversy

As a new operator in the rough-and-tumble Bexar County bail bond business, Albert Saenz quickly climbed to the top after opening his first modest office in 2003 on South Pan Am Expressway.

With a bond writing capability in Bexar County now of more than $32 million — almost twice that of its nearest competitor — his company, AA Best Bail Bonds, is the biggest in town. Saenz also operates nine regional offices spread from Del Rio to Karnes City.

Heavy advertising, aggressive price-cutting and a gambler's taste for risk all helped Saenz thrive in what one regulator called a “cutthroat, backstabbing” business.

He also has enjoyed less obvious advantages, according to many of his former employees.

To read the rest of this article, visit MySanAntonio.com.

Law Enforcers and Bail Agents Worried about New Dona Ana Bail Schedule

The Dona Ana County Magistrate Court sets a new bail schedule for accused criminals, but it's not sitting well with some law enforcers, bail bondsmen and even victims.

The new bail schedule set early last month changes how bond is set if a judge cannot be present to hear the case.

This usually happens in the case of suspects being caught overnight after judges have gone home for the evening.

If a suspect is accused of committing several crimes and is arrested, the new order determines that bail will be set for the highest criminal charge only. The other charges will not carry bail, making it easier to be released.

According to the order filed by presiding magistrate Judge Oscar Freitze last month, the defendant can be released by posting 25 percent of the bail.

Some say that's not fair to the victim of the crime, especially in a case of rape where the victim did not get to voice his or her concerns to the judge about the defendant's release, and in some cases the victim might not get notified of the release.

One local bail bondsmen says it's unfair to have a suspect accused of commiting a crime for the first time get the same bail as a repeat criminal, if the crime is the same.

“I think that the law has become like a fast-food restaurant; the judges have gotten lazy and back in the day when my uncle was a judge people were woken up every night and never complained a bit, he felt it was his duty to give everybody a right to a reasonable bail,” said bail bondsman Randy Gomez.

Gomez said he will file a motion to undo the order, which he expects to get rejected because it came from the court he will file it in.

Undersheriff Chuck Franco said he and the sheriff are not pleased with the decision and concerned that it will allow people to get out of jail quicker with a likelihood they would not return for their court appearance.