AboutBail.com - Bail Bondsman, Bail Agents, Bounty Hunters & Criminal Lawyers

How Local Search Puts Your Bail Business on the Map

2011-04-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

You may have heard the term “local search” recently and wondered what it is and how it can help bail agents market their businesses. Local search basically ensures that people can find your business online when searching for local terms such as “Bail Bonds Denver” or wherever your business may be located. This is accomplished through optimizing your Google Places, Yahoo! Local and Bing Local profiles, and then submitting your business to Superpages, YellowPages, DexKnows, 411.com, WhitePages and more than 100 other sites. So when people search for your key terms, your business shows up.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how local search benefits your business and how the submission process works.

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Proposed ‘Alternative Bond Program’ Threatens to Eliminate Colorado Bail Industry

2011-03-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

Although the private bail industry in Colorado suspected that trouble was brewing, most everyone was still blindsided by the swift introduction of Senate Bill 11-186, a bill that could potentially do major damage to the livelihood of Colorado bail agents.

Simply put, SB 11-186 would likely put around 485 Colorado bail agents out of business, as well as eliminate the need for the eight surety companies that insure the bail agents. Those numbers are according to a recent article in the Denver Post.

Read more here on how SB 11-186 could affect the Colorado bail industry.

Florida Pretrial Release Legislation Advances for 2011 Session

2011-03-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

According to recent statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, violent crime is down nationwide and fewer arrests by law enforcement are being made. A 2009 report by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) found that local jail populations dropped by 2.3 percent from 2008 to 2009. This is the first decline in the U.S. jail population since the DOJ implemented the annual survey of jails in 1982. Large jails led the trend with Florida counties Miami-Dade and Orange leading the nation in overall decline of jail populations.

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Learn How to Grow Your Bail Agency in Challenging Times

2011-03-11T10:13:00.000-08:00

If you weren’t able to make it to the PBUS 30th Anniversary Winter Conference, you can still benefit from the knowledge that was shared there. Adam Camras, AboutBail.com CEO, gave a presentation to a business-minded group of bail agents titled “Succeeding Where Others Fail: Growing Your Bail Agency in Challenging Times.” During the talk, Camras discussed important topics such as professionalism, intelligent marketing strategies and operational efficiency. As part of his focus on marketing for bail agents - an area of expertise for AboutBail.com - Camras covered the importance of building bail agency websites, submitting your agency to local search engines and marketing your bail business with Facebook and other social media sites.

To gain some valuable tips for how to market your business and improve your operations, click here to read the full story on AboutBail.com.

The Bail Bonds Industry Should Learn From The Banking Industry

2011-01-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

Many in the bail bonds industry are happy to start a new year after a difficult 2010. The average bail bondsman faced pressure from things such as a harsh economic climate, increased regulatory scrutiny and unpopular pretrial release programs.

The issues are only compounded when the public and regulators read stories that portray bail bonds in a negative light. In 2010, there were quite a few. Last year headlines included everything from bondsmen changing bail bonds records at the courthouse to multiple instances of bail agents being arrested for improper solicitation. In one of the more shocking stories, a federal judge was removed from the bench by the U.S. Senate because he allegedly increased bail amounts to help a bail bondsman. In return the judge accepted trips, gifts and meals from the bondsman. This past year has given the industry some tough PR challenges to say the least.

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County Approves Bail Bond Board

2011-01-12T11:17:00.000-08:00

Titus County Commissioners, after an hours' worth of discussion and deliberation Monday, unanimously voted to implement a county bail bonds board, effective Oct. 1, 2011.

A county bail bond board is responsible for licensing and regulating bail bond companies operating in a county, in accordance with Chapter 1704, Regulation of Bail Bond Sureties, of the Texas Occupations Code.

Bail bondsmen must be licensed in their county before they can secure bail for any person incarcerated in the county jail.Under current state legislation, bail bond boards are mandatory in counties with a population of over 110,000, but voluntary in smaller counties.

County Judge Brian Lee opened the item on Monday's agenda by noting the county had been presented with a petition signed by almost all county officials who are involved in the criminal justice system.

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In Defense of Bounty Hunting

2011-01-11T10:43:00.000-08:00

Bounty hunters and bail bondsmen have a bad rap: The American Bar Association calls their line of work "tawdry," and Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun declared it "odorous." But bounty hunters have an unlikely ally: Alex Tabarrok, an economist at George Mason University, who argues in The Wilson Quarterly that bounty hunters are "unsung" heroes of an overbooked justice system.

Bail and bounty hunters have a long history. In medieval England, suspected criminals often had to stew for months until a traveling judge arrived to conduct a trial; in the meantime, the court would release the defendant to a "surety," often a friend or brother, who would guarantee that he would show up in court. "If the accused failed to show," Tabarrok explains, "the surety would take his place and be judged as if he were the offender." Sureties were, unsurprisingly, given broad powers to chase down their charges; today's bounty hunters have inherited them (they can legally break into the houses of their targets, search their property without probable cause, and pursue them across state lines).

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Bail Bonds Advocates Fined in Colo. for Campaign Finance Violation

2011-01-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

DENVER (AP) — A political group that pushed unsuccessfully to require bail bonds in more criminal cases in Colorado has been fined for campaign finance violations.

Safe Streets Colorado was fined $12,200 for improper reporting before raising money to put the bonds question on ballots last year.

The proposal would have made it harder for people awaiting criminal trials to be released under supervision without having to post bail.

Critics called the measure a kickback to help the bail bonds industry. The measure failed by a wide margin.

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ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa Released on Bail; Says Ready for Talks

2011-01-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa today walked free from jail on bail and declared his readiness for an "unconditional" peace dialogue with the Assam Government, which hinted that the ban on the outfit may be lifted ahead of the talks.

"We are committed to peace in Assam and take the peace process forward. We are ready for unconditional peace talks," the 54-year-old ULFA leader told his supporters outside the Gauhati Central Jail, where he was lodged for over a year.

He was released two days after a designated TADA court ordered his release on bail.

Rajkhowa asked ULFA cadres not to create divisions in the ranks and appealed to people not to be "restless" over the issue of peace talks.

He, however, appealed for the release of ULFA central council members Sasha Choudhury and Chitraban Hazarika as well to enable them to participate in a meeting to decide on the peace talks.

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New Year's Eve, Big For The Bail Bond Business

2011-01-04T10:55:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately many kick off their new year in trouble. Last night was no exception. And while some raked in the new year in jail, workers at Lederman Bail Bonds raked in the business.

For many Siouxlanders New Year's Eve just isn't complete without a little bubbly or a lot of it. And unfortunately getting a good buzz gets many arrested. Just ask the workers at Lederman Bail Bonds.

"The majority of the bonds that we do are DUI's or simple misdemeanor possession of drugs," said Justin Boyd, the manager of Lederman Bail Bonds.

After midnight phones were ringing off the hook. Eleven calls were made from people in the Siouxland area requesting bail–out loans for them or for someone else.

"There's two ways you can get out of jail in Iowa. You can either pay 10% to a bail bonds men or you can pay the courts the money directly cash," said Boyd.

Since bad weather conditions usually keep people close to home and off the roads, last night's 11 cases was more than expected. But still disappointing for New Year's eve.

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Bail Hotline Bail Bonds Provides Christmas Day Feast and Brand new Library for the Los Angeles Youth Network

2010-12-30T10:19:00.000-08:00

California’s leader in Bail Bond services will be bringing holiday cheer to Los Angeles’ largest full-service youth shelter this Christmas: Bail Hotline Bail Bonds, servicing all of California with comprehensive bail bonds services and assistance, will bring and serve a three-course meal to over 30 homeless and at-risk youth at the L.A. Youth Network, in addition to donating a large selection of books to complete the shelter’s brand new library.

Ten Bail Hotline volunteers, from the company’s Southern California locations, will arrive at one of the LAYN’s three shelters (1550 N. Gower St.) at 2 p.m. on Christmas Day with a complete Christmas meal for more than 30 of the teens that are currently living at all three shelters.

The Los Angeles Youth Network is the largest non-lockdown, full-service homeless youth shelter in L.A. County, with three shelters throughout Hollywood, and provides young men and women, ages 12 to 17, with shelter, food, counseling and more.

“We know that the issue of homeless and at-risk youth is one that often goes unnoticed due to the heart-wrenching truth associated with it; which is why this project with the LAYN is especially important to us,” said Pablo Fonseca, Director of Marketing for Bail Hotline Bail Bonds.

“We really wanted to take these teens under our wing this holiday season by providing them not only with a wonderful Christmas Day dinner, but also with a generous contribution to the libraries; a gift that will keep on giving year after year.”

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Suspect in Patrol Vehicle Heist is Denied Bail

2010-12-29T10:07:00.000-08:00

An itinerant man who allegedly tried to run over a Clark County sheriff’s deputy in a stolen patrol car on Sunday made his first appearance Monday in Clark County Superior Court.

Judge John Wulle set a no-bail hold for Raymond H. Hall, 30, after hearing from Deputy Prosecutor Alan Harvey that Hall has four pending felony criminal cases in Nevada and was wanted locally on identity theft and forgery charges.

He remains in the Clark County Jail on suspicion of first-degree assault, first-degree theft and a separate case alleging two counts of identity theft, 10 counts of forgery, two counts of criminal impersonation and four counts possession of stolen property.

“I want to know more about what’s going on in Nevada before addressing bail,” the judge said.

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Okeechobee County Bail Bondsman Killed

2010-12-28T11:28:00.000-08:00

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- An Okeechobee County bail bondsman was killed trying to take a parole violator into custody.

According to the Glades County Sheriff's Office, Gordon Suleiman was trying to take Koty Lewis into custody when Lewis fatally shot the 45-year-old bondsman in the Lakeport area Sunday.

Authorities said Lewis fled the scene but was found about three miles away hiding under a mobile home.

Lewis was arrested on a murder charge.

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U.S. Pilots Freed on Bail in Dominican Republic

2010-12-23T11:23:00.000-08:00

Two U.S. pilots suspected of drug smuggling have been freed from a jail in the Dominican Republic.

Kevin Kuranz, 31, and Christopher Schmidt, 28, were detained on December 2 in Santo Domingo, the Caribbean country's capital, after officials from the Dominican anti-narcotics agency found approximately 4 pounds of heroin and 321 pounds of cocaine in their cargo plane, according to the Associated Press.

A three-judge panel granted each pilot $12,160 bail. However, Kuranz and Schmidt must return to the Dominican Republic on the request of local authorities. After the trial, Schmidt said he planned to return to his home state of Tennessee.

Supporters of the two pilots are adamant that Kuranz and Schmidt are not involved in the drug smuggling operation, though Dominican agents said the drugs were found hidden in ceiling and floor panels of their airplane.

Miguel Valerio, their lawyer, said no evidence linking the pilots to the drugs has been found.
Charges have yet to be filed, but the pilots were held under a Dominican law that allows for preventative detention, the Associated Press reported.

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Los Angeles Bail Bonds Company Sponsors Uganda Education

2010-12-21T12:39:00.000-08:00

Greg Rynerson Bail Bonds, a Los Angeles based company, is pleased to announce the support of education in Uganda.Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA - During this Christmas giving season, Greg and Tonya Rynerson of Greg Rynerson Bail Bonds is pleased to make a gift in the name of their employees and clients to support the education, uniforms and meals for four Ugandan children for a year.

"This is a time of year when we typically give and send gifts to those have helped make our year successful," says Greg Rynerson, bail bondsman and company owner. "This year, we wanted to give something that would really matter. The work of Uganda Development Initiative is not only moving, but truly outstanding.

We decided to support the education of children in need rather than give the standard mug or desk calendar." Uganda Development Initiative (UDI) has been involved in the building and support of not only of several primary schools in the remote west side of Uganda, but also a kindergarten, a high school and a college as well. Their goal is to break the cycle of poverty in that area.

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Bail Bond Companies are Worth the Costs for Most

2010-12-16T10:05:00.000-08:00

The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees individuals the right to fair and reasonable bail. Most importantly, it protects individuals from excessive bail.

The purpose of bail bonds are twofold. First, it allows people to be free from incarceration while the criminal process is proceeding. Second, it acts as a guarantee that a defendant will show up to court or they forfeit their money.

Bond amounts are set by the judge who bases the decision on the severity of the crime, a person's criminal history, the individual's flight risk potential, among other considerations. A judge may place a no bond hold on a person if the defendant is found to be a flight risk. In the absence of flight risk, the judge should set a reasonable bail based upon the entirety of the circumstances.

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Minimum Payments Should be Required of Suspects for Bail Bonds

2010-12-15T11:01:00.000-08:00

It came as a complete surprise when, in the wake of the slaying of four Lakewood police officers, it was revealed that their murderer was released from jail three times that year without ever paying more than 4 percent of his bail amount up front.

Most people — prosecutors and judges included — were under the mistaken assumption that a criminal defendant must post 10 percent of the bail amount before gaining his or her release.

Voters in November closed one bail loophole when they approved House Joint Resolution 4220, a constitutional amendment allowing judges to deny bail in certain circumstances such as when the defendant is facing life in prison without the possibility of parole or there is convincing evidence of a propensity for violence that would likely endanger the public.

A whopping 84.6 percent of the voters approved the amendment setting the tougher bail standards.

The Legislature recognized that there were other loopholes in the law and appointed a task force to look into the matter.

Snohomish County prosecutor Mark Roe said some of his fellow task force members were “disillusioned” they didn’t know bail bondsmen required less than 10 percent to bail a client out of jail. “To be honest, I was embarrassed,” he told the Seattle Times.

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British Court Orders Leader of WikiLeaks Freed on Bail

2010-12-14T09:31:00.000-08:00

LONDON — After a week in detention facing possible extradition, Julian Assange, the founder of the WikiLeaks antisecrecy group, was ordered released on $310,000 bail by a court on Tuesday as he challenges a Swedish prosecutor’s demand that he return to Stockholm for questioning about alleged sex offenses.

However, it remained unclear whether Mr. Assange would be freed this evening, or whether he would be taken back to detention pending a probable appeal by the prosecutor. One of his lawyers, Mark Stephens, said he was likely to spend another night in custody.

Judge Howard Riddle ordered that Mr. Assange appear again in court on Jan. 11. He also said that between then and now he must reside at Ellingham Hall, a Georgian mansion in Bungay, in eastern England, owned by Vaughan Smith, the founder of a club for journalists. Mr. Assange must spend every night at the mansion and will be electronically tagged so the police can track his movements, the judge said.

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Washington Task Force Makes Bail System Recommendations

2010-12-02T08:56:00.000-08:00

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - A Washington state task force formed after the shooting deaths of four police officers recommended on Wednesday tighter regulation of bail bondsmen and more information-sharing with judges who set bail.

The suspect in the police deaths, Maurice Clemmons, bailed out of jail three times in 2009 without ever paying more than 4 percent up front, including just days before the Lakewood police shootings, the Seattle Times reported.

Unlike some states, Washington does not require people getting a bail bond to pay 10 percent of its value.

The 20-person task force, which was created to study the bail system following the police deaths, did not suggest minimum payment rates for those who get a bail bond.

Judges, prosecutors and victims' advocates have argued for a fixed bail bond premium. But defense attorneys and others have worried that a minimum payment could hurt the poor, the Times reported.

Task force member and Snohomish County prosecutor Mark Roe said some officials were "disillusioned" they didn't know bail bondsmen required less than 10 percent.

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Women Making An Impact In The Bail Bonds World

2010-12-01T10:50:00.000-08:00

The bail bonds business, like many others, is often thought of as an old boy's club because the industry is seemingly dominated by men. Bail agents are sometimes stereotyped as a rough and tumble community that must match the perceived decorum of the defendants they serve. However, women are making serious inroads into the bail bonds world and doing it on their own terms. In fact, over half of the licensed bail bondsmen in California aren't actually “bondsmen” at all. They are bail bondswomen.

As the female presence grows in the bail bonds industry, they are starting to get much deserved attention for their contributions. For example, Jillian Hughes maintains a blog devoted to female bail bond issues at bail bonds girl which regularly highlights the impact of women in the industry.

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Violent Crime Up, Says NY Times! NY Bondsmen Crucial, Says NYPBA; Bondsmen to Follow NYCPL and Contracts, Says NY DOI (OGC)

2010-11-30T09:21:00.000-08:00

George Zouvelos, president and founder of the New York Professional Bondsmen and Agents ( The NYPBA ) Http://http://www.nypba.net (http://www.NYPBA.net NY Professional Bondsmen and Agents (The NYPBA ), a New York State Professional Bail Bondsman business owner and the representative from the State of New York for the “Counsel of Presidents” of the Professional Bail Agents of the United States, Http://http://www.PBUS.com, notes the New York Times reports (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/26/nyregion/26crime.html), what the NYPBA has asserted these past 24 months, violent crimes in New York City are up, the need for bail assistance has doubled, financial wherewithal of the citizenry to post bail has greatly diminished and private contractual matters are not within the Departments purview.

“Violent crime categories are up, in addition to the unimproved economic condition of the public-at-large, and the lack of ‘liquid cash’ on hand by the consumer, the increase request for bail assistance services provided by the New York professional bail bondsmen has been on the rise steadily. Professional bail bondsmen in New York and elsewhere have noted that the individual wherewithal to afford same has dramatically decreased even when seeking the low cost bail bond services as provided by the professional surety bail bondsmen in any state,” said George Zouvelos.

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Los Angeles Bail Bonds Company Named Expert Bail Bondsman

2010-11-24T09:54:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (1888PressRelease) November 19, 2010 - Greg Rynerson Bail Bonds, a family owned and operated bail bonds company, has been named to the elite bondsmen at Expert Bail.

ExpertBail is a nationwide network of trusted bail agents consisting of an elite group of bondsmen committed to doing business in a professional and ethical manner in order to eradicate the negative public image of the bail bondsman portrayed in the media.

The ExpertBail network is being developed by the oldest and largest family of bail bonds underwriting companies, AIA, headed by Los Angeles local Nairin family. With ExpertBail, communities around California now have a resource for information on and how to find the most professional and quality bail agents in their areas.

"As a bondsman, we've always struggled with the stereotype of the neon sign and cigar filled room. For the professionals amongst bail companies, nothing could be further from reality. I applaud AIA and Expert Bail for helping to shine a light on the stand-out bondsmen in our industry," says lifelong bondsman, Greg Rynerson. "I've been proud to be affiliated with the Nairin family, AIA and now with Expert Bail."

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Man Wanted for Shooting Bail Bondsmen Arrested in Michigan

2010-11-23T10:02:00.000-08:00

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — A man police said shot a bail bondsman in the foot on Nov. 5 while at an apartment has been arrested in Michigan, according to Winston-Salem Police. Shots were fired at three bail bondsmen Nov. 5 when the group attempted to locate a man who skipped his bail.

Police said the incident happened at an apartment at 104 Penner St. just after midnight. Police said Michael Todd Smith, a bondsman, and two of his colleagues were attempting to locate Lamont Develle King, 26, of 104 Penner St., for skipping bail.

As the three men forced their way into King's apartment, he fired several shots at the bondsmen. Smith and the two other bondsmen returned fire and Smith was struck in the foot during the exchange.

The bondsmen told police King then returned inside the apartment. Winston-Salem Police went to King's apartment but were unable to locate him.

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Bail Bondsman Shot in Winston-Salem

2010-11-10T11:54:00.000-08:00

WINSTON-SALEM — A bail bondsman was shot in one foot while he was trying to take into custody a wanted suspect, who managed to get away.

Winston-Salem police said Michael Todd Smith and two colleagues with Surety Bonding went to 104 Penner St. earlier today to locate a wanted suspect. At 1:25 a.m., Smith and the two other bondmen forced open the door.

The suspect inside fired several shots from a handgun at the bondsmen. The bondsmen returned fire as the suspect went back into the apartment.

The 43-year-old Smith, who lives in Thomasville, suffered a gunshot wound to one of his feet. Police did not give Smith's condition.

The police department's Special Enforcement Team later entered the apartment but could not find the suspect.

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Special Report: A Day in the Life of a Bail Bondsman

2010-11-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

You hope you never need it but we all know there's a business out that there that thrives off people messing up and going to jail.

Bail bondsmen help get a lot of people out from behind bars but it doesn't stop there.

Pit Bull is a bail bondsman and a bounty hunter. He's a guy who loves his job and isn't afraid to play tough.

"It's not a 9 to 5 job," said Doug Graue "Pit Bull". "Never know what's going to happen."Graue says when someone is in jail looking to get out he can be their best friend.

"When they run, I'm their worst enemy," he said.

He left 20 years of police work behind for life as a bail bondsman.

"You're always a little nervous because you don't know what's going to happen," Graue said.

He is based out of Hayti in Pemiscot county and covers 30 counties.

His mission on the day we caught up with him was to find a man he bailed out of jail on 10 percent of $25,000 bond not long ago."The subject we bonded out hasn't met up with his obligations. He's moving from house to house every few weeks," Graue said.

Graue says the bail bondsman has a big responsibility.

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2010-11-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

Paint this big square state purple. Again.

Joining the echoes heard across the country, Colorado voters on Tuesday began restoring some Republicans to power across Colorado. However, true to the independent streak that runs strong through this Western state, Democrats held their own.

Democratic Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, having benefitted from a fractured Republican Party, will be the state's 42nd governor.

The U.S. Senate race between Democrat Michael Bennet and Republican Ken Buck still was too close to call as of our deadline. The fact a Democrat could stay so close in an otherwise good year for Republicans speaks to Colorado's independence.

Voters also wisely turned down three tax-slashing measures, Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101, which would have devastated a state budget that already has a $1 billion shortfall while shortchanging schools and roads.

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Proposition 102 Opposed by Law Enforcement

2010-11-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

While the battle rages politically on senate and governor campaigns, and political watchers wage their wars against tax measures on Tuesday's ballot, one measure has been residing under much of the public radar.

Proposition 102.

The measure may not be garnering attention like amendments 60 and 61, and Proposition 101, but it could be just another nail in local government's coffin, say some opponents. Opponents of 102 paint it as a moneymaking measure for the state's bail agents — the people who help bail people out of jail and ensure they get to their court dates.

The measure asks voters to require only first-time, nonviolent offenders be let out of jail to a program called pretrial services without having to put up their own money. So far, there are 10 pretrial services programs in counties throughout the state, including Weld and Larimer. It's a court-, or county-operated program, which researches defendants' backgrounds to determine their risk factors in the community, which in turn helps judges determine their amount of bail. It also serves to monitor defendants upon release by providing drug and alcohol testing, and monitoring whereabouts, for example, to keep defendants in line with protection orders.

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Officials Say Connecticut's Bail System in Need of Major Reforms

2010-10-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

BRIDGEPORT -- Connecticut's bail bond system is out of control.

More than 17,000 accused felons in Connecticut have skipped out on their bail bonds. Rules that require bondsmen to collect a certain percentage of each bail bond are routinely ignored.

The list of dangerous felons who have been released on bail only to kill or harm someone else is like a who's who of criminal defendants in the state.

Selami Ozdemir, of West Haven, was bonded out on a Saturday in January and shot his wife to death the next day.

Darryl Crenshaw was bonded out while awaiting trial on kidnapping charges and then beat his girlfriend to death in July 2008.

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Houma Bail Bondsman and Wrestler Earns Spot in Louisana Hall of Fame

2010-10-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

HOUMA — When Chad “Bronco Bob” Bonvillain of Houma was inducted into the newly established Louisiana Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame on Oct. 16, he said his emotions bubbled over inside the Amelia Recreation Center.

“I'm the first individual wrestler to be named to it,” the 38-year-old said. “They're going to start putting guys in it on a regular basis, and it should be a great thing in terms of getting some local guys in the sport recognized.”

The 6-foot-7, 400-pound bail bondsman and bounty hunter spent much of the past 17 years pursuing wrestling as a full-time career but recently shifted to part-time. Bonvillain has shared the ring with greats like the Junkyard Dog and Buff Bagwell, among others.

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Prop. 102 Would Force Defendants to Pay to Remain Free Before Trial

2010-10-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

Colorado voters will decide this November whether to pass a proposal into law that would result in more criminal defendants having to put up cash to secure their pretrial release from jail.

Supporters say Proposition 102 will ensure defendants will be more likely to show up for court dates because their own money or their family's money will be at stake.

"They will have skin in the game, so to speak," said Mike Paul Donovan, a Douglas County resident who is pushing the proposal, and is a lobbyist for Seneca Insurance, which has a bail-bond division.

But a coalition of law enforcement officers, prosecutors and defense lawyers is urging voters to defeat the proposal.

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St. Louis Bail Bondsman Shot in Robbery Attempt

2010-10-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

ST. LOUIS (KMOX)__ A St. Louis bail bondsman is in critical condition after being shot during a robbery Saturday night.

Police say the 52-year-old victim was struck in the chest, back and side shortly before eight p.m. at his home in the 700 block of Carr.

The bondsman fired back but police don’t know if either suspect was hit. The victim’s name has not been released.

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Police: Bail Bondsman Seen Buying Heroin

2010-10-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

NEW BRITAIN - A Newington bail bondsman was arrested on a drug charge Monday after he allegedly bought heroin from a dealer Special Service Unit members had under surveillance, police said.

Stephen Angelillo, 37, of 84 Dowd St., Newington was tailed and stopped by officers after the transaction took place Monday on Trinity Street in New Britain. Police were originally watching Mitchell Lurry who would meet customers on Trinity Street so they wouldn’t know his actual address when they saw Angelillo show up to make a buy, Sgt. Jerry Chrostowski said.

Angelillo had 13 packets of heroin with him when his car was pulled over, police said. He was charged with possession of narcotics and released on bond. Lurry was found with more than $10,000 in heroin and $29,000 in cash after unit members searched his home and car Monday.

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Bail Bondsman Hit with Bank's Door in Des Moines

2010-10-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

A wanted man got the better of a bail bondsman by smashing his hand in a revolving door and taking off on foot Friday. Police later caught up to the suspect at the bus station.

Lonnie Fentress of Iowa Bail Bonds picked up Garrett J. Jesmer, 18, at the Polk County Jail so he could post bond. Fentress drove Jesmer to the Wells Fargo Bank at 666 Walnut St. to withdraw $8,300 for his bond, police said.

Fentress removed Jesmer's handcuffs as a courtesy and to avoid causing alarm among bank patrons, police said.

Fentress, 46, told police Jesmer turned and used the bank's revolving door as a weapon by slamming it backwards onto Fentress' hand, then taking off on foot.

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Duane 'Dog' Chapman Rushed to Hospital in Los Angeles on Saturday After Blood Clot Scare: Report

2010-10-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

It was a dog day afternoon for Duane Chapman on Saturday.

The "Dog the Bounty Hunter" star was rushed to the UCLA Medical Center after sustaining an injury while on a bounty hunt, his wife told TMZ.com.

Chapman felt pain and was sent to the ER "to avoid possible serious complications," according to RadarOnline.com.

His wife, Beth Smith, told TMZ.com that Chapman was treated for internal bleeding and tested for a possible blood clot.

"Duane is in very capable hands and and we thank everyone for their prayers,"she wrote in a statement on the 57-year-old reality star's official website.

He was released the same day following a thorough check-up.

"Yes dog is injured it is an occupational hazard that we deal with he is very strong and in excellent condition he will 4 sure survive," his wife tweeted on Sunday.

"Dog the Bounty Hunter" premieres Wednesday at 9 p.m. on A&E.

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Bondsman Makes it his Mission to Catch One Particular Bail Jumper

2010-10-06T10:50:00.000-07:00

CLEARWATER — If you watch the Tampa Bay Rays on television, you've probably seen him. Bald head. Olive skin. Downcast eyes. Wanted for beating up a woman, among other dirty deeds.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is looking for Brian Andrew Word, but perhaps not nearly as intensely as Al Estes Bail Bonds Inc. It's spending $1,400 a month on TV ads featuring Word during all Rays games and offering $7,500 for information leading to his arrest.

"He's a menace to society," said Al Estes Sr. He's dangerous, Estes said, especially to women. Still, he's not the worst the bail bondsman has run across.

So why is he so focused on this guy?

There's the money. Estes stands to lose nearly $100,000 if Word doesn't turn up, though it wouldn't be the first time he's lost money on a bail jumper.

He tells every customer who comes through his office: You might make mistakes, you might be addicted or dishonest, but you don't ignore your court date.

Don't make him come after you. Because he will.

"We're going to get him," said Estes, 77 years old and not afraid of a slick, 6-foot, 41-year-old "good-looking party guy" who apparently took the old man for a fool.

One day in October 2009, a lawyer called Estes' office seeking help for Word, arrested on charges of battery by strangulation, residential burglary and other charges connected to a dispute with Word's former girlfriend. It wasn't Word's first battery arrest.

Estes agreed to bail out Word if someone would vouch for him. Soon, Word's mother, Milene Johnson, showed up. Estes has good luck when mothers get involved. People rarely skip town and leave their mothers to deal with bail bondsmen.

The longer Word is a fugitive, the more Estes Sr. stands to lose. Estes had to pay almost $100,000 to the court since Word missed a February court date, but if he catches Word within two years, he'll get at least half of the amount back. After two years, Estes gets nothing.

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Bail-bond Measure Ignites Passions

2010-09-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

The battle over Proposition 102, a measure on the November ballot that would affect how judges set bail in criminal cases, has focused on Larimer County in recent days.

On Monday, a vocal group of about 40 people gathered outside the administration building of the Larimer County Sheriff's Office to protest Sheriff Jim Alderden's opposition to Proposition 102.

Waving signs, American flags and chanting, the protesters called for the end to "criminal welfare," which is how they refer to county-administered pretrial services that allow defendants to stay out of jail through personal recognizance or cash-backed bonds.

Proposition 102 would prohibit judges from assigning defendants to pretrial services on unsecured bonds other than first-time offenders accused of nonviolent misdemeanor crimes. Other defendants could be assigned to pretrial-service supervision if they are released on surety bonds obtained through a bail-bond agency for a fee.

Ten counties across the state have pretrial services, with Larimer County having one of the largest programs. The county's program has taken decision-making about bail out of the hands of judges, said Robert Trucker, outreach director for Safe Streets Colorado, a campaign committee backing the proposal.

"I don't believe giving criminals a 'get out of jail free card' at taxpayer expense makes sense for anyone, including the criminal," he said.

Alderden and Sharon Winfree, who supervises the county's pretrial release program, were named in a complaint filed last week with the Secretary of State's Office claiming opponents of Proposition 102 violated state campaign finance law by not registering as a campaign committee.

Also named in the complaint by Sarah Millett of Centennial were Scott Storey, the district attorney in Jefferson County, state Attorney General John Suthers, and the Pretrial Justice Institute, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. All have publically spoken against Proposition 102.

Opponents have since registered as Citizens to Protect Colorado Communities. Spokesperson Stefanie Clarke - who was also named in the complaint - said the complaint is a "publicity stunt" aimed at distracting voters.

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Hacienda Heights Bail Bondsman, Former Police Officer Killed in Crash Hours Before he was Due in Court on Criminal Charges

2010-09-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

A Hacienda Heights man was killed early Monday in a hit-and-run crash just hours before he was due in court on charges of illegally soliciting bail from prisoners while working as a bail bond agent, officials said.

Bail bondsman and former Los Angeles police officer Edwin Sunmin Lee, 39, was due in court at 8:30 a.m. Monday, according to Shiara Davila Morales of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Lee never made it after he was involved in a fatal two-vehicle crash at 2:47 a.m. on Garfield Avenue and the 105 Freeway in Paramount, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials said.

Three men were seen fleeing following the collision, said sheriff's Lt. Shane Robley.

"It was three male Hispanics, and two were helping the third," he said.

No arrests had been made as of Tuesday afternoon, and information regarding the crash was not immediately available, Robley said.

Lee was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.

Authorities alleged earlier this year that Lee - while working as a licensed bail agent for Creative Bail Bonds in Van Nuys - solicited two arrestees to enter into bail agreements while at the Los Angeles Police Department's jail in Van Nuys.

Prosecutors also allege he failed to keep complete records of the bail transactions. Lee pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this year.

Lee's attorney Grant Beuchel said his client wasn't guilty of the solicitation charges. Lee's only mistake was failing to keep proper records, Beuchel said.

"He had nothing to fear from this case at all," Beuchel said. "He was looking forward to going to trial."

Lee leaves behind a wife and young child, Beuchel said.

Lee resigned from the Los Angeles Police Department after pleading no contest in April 2005 to a felony count of filing a false police report.

That charge was subsequently reduced to a misdemeanor and dismissed in February 2007, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

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Lindsay Lohan Bondsman Says Putting Her in Jail was Unfair

2010-09-28T09:06:00.000-07:00

Washington, Sep 28 (ANI): Lindsay Lohan’s bail bondsman David Perez has said that the judge’s decision to put the star behind bars was unfair.

Perez, who posted the 300,000-dollar bail to spring LiLo from behind bar, said that Judge Elden Fox’s decision to remand the actress in custody, without bail, was unprecedented.

“I think what Judge Fox did to her, putting her behind bars was unfair. It was a misdemeanor, and she was entitled to bail. I have never seen a judge deny someone bail because of a misdemeanor, ever,” RadarOnline.com quoted him as saying.

Perez said Lohan had no trouble coming up the whopping bail.

“There was absolutely no problem whatsoever in securing her bail, period.

“Lindsay has never had financial problems securing bail,” he added.

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Huntsville Police Arrest Local Bail Bondsman For Murder

2010-09-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

HUNTSVILLE, AL - Huntsville Police have arrested a local business owner and charged him with murder. He's a bail bondsman. James Adell Baugh, 47, is the owner of One Hour Bail Bond.

Police arrested Baugh in connection with the shooting death of 19-year-old Danny Moore. The incident happened at 3414 Deerfield Road in Huntsville on Thursday night. Police responded around 11:30 p.m. and found Moore dead.

Police say Baugh and others had gone to the home to look for Moore, because Moore had failed to appear in court. Because Moore missed his court date, Baugh, the bail bondsman, was responsible for Moore's $60,000 bond. Police haven't commented on what happened that resulted in Moore being shot.

Baugh is in the Madison County Jail, awaiting bond. Police continue their investigation. They did recover a shotgun from the scene, but it's not known if it was used in the incident.

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Dog the Bounty Hunter on Call in Case Lindsay Lohan Jumps Bail

2010-09-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

Dog the Bounty Hunter, the bail bondsman from Hawaii and sometimes Colorado has been put on high alert that his services may be needed in Los Angeles in case Lindsay Lohan decides to jump bail. Lohan is scheduled to appear in court later this week for a hearing to decide her fate after recently failing two drug tests."

If Ms. Lohan stays in town this time and shows up as scheduled, there will be no need to call Dog in on the matter," claims a spokesperson for A&E, the channel which airs the "Dog the Bounty Hunter" reality series.

"Normally, we wouldn't allow Dog to get caught up in such high profile cases as the Lindsay Lohan matter, but ever since he brought in Randy and Evi Quaid earlier this year when the Quaids failed to show for a scheduled court date, Dog has become the bail bondsman to the stars."

"When asked what he was going to do if he is asked to bring Lindsay Lohan to justice, Dog had this to say, "You know me, I'm the Dog. I know law enforcement. I've been on both sides. I know drugs, I've taken them and I haven't taken them.

Ask Beth, she'll tell ya just who we're talking about. This little lady is going to hell in a hand basket unless she gets with the program. Ask Beth, she'll tell ya. She'll tell Lindsay. She's the go to person for this, just ask her. She'll tell ya."

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Bail Bondsman Says he Lost Job Over Aid to Slain Officer

2010-09-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

A veteran law enforcement officer turned bail bond solicitor says his attempts to aid a fatally wounded Jackson policeman last month cost him his job.

But the local bond agency he worked for says the man quit after a series of problems and is now in violation of a contract because he works for a competing agency.

Resolution of that dispute is now before a Hinds County chancery judge.

Mike Ivy, who also is a volunteer firefighter in Terry, says he was giving CPR to officer Glen Agee on the night of Aug. 6 while one of his bosses at David Moore

Bonding repeatedly called his cell phone. Agee was fatally wounded when he chased after and then tussled with escaped prisoner Latwan Smith in a ravine less than a mile from the Hinds County Detention Center in Raymond. Smith had escaped from the patrol car en route to the jail.

When Ivy finally returned the missed calls, he got into a heated discussion with the supervisor which Ivy says led to his immediate termination.

"He told me I wasn't a cop any longer and when he calls I should answer the phone,"

Ivy said. "I told him if he thought I'd stop doing CPR on anybody, much less a police officer, and answer the phone he was wrong."

Ivy then went to work for American National Bail Bonding in Raymond but soon found himself in court after his former employer sought a restraining order.

David Moore, owner of David Moore Bonding in Ridgeland, testified Wednesday in a Hinds County Chancery Court hearing that Ivy began working for his agency in March. And while Ivy's years of experience in law enforcement made him an attractive hire, Moore said he began to notice trouble.

"Mike was not answering his phone when we tried to call him. He seemed to have a lot of absenteeism," Moore said. "At one point, he had indicated wanting to get back in law enforcement."

Moore also said one of his partners told Ivy he was fired the night of Aug. 6, but

Moore vetoed the firing and tried to work with Ivy to find a solution so he could remain at the agency.

However, Ivy quit, said Moore.

Now Moore contends Ivy's work for American National Bonding is in violation of a "non-compete" contract he signed that stipulates he cannot compete for bonds in a 120-mile radius of Jackson for at least two years.

The case is before Chancery Judge Dewayne Thomas.

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Man Accused of Duping Bondsman Arrested, Again

2010-09-15T11:39:00.000-07:00

A New London man accused of kidnapping and stabbing his estranged wife in Bridgeport has been arrested after posting bail using a fake letter from a dead lawyer, police said.

Eric Stiggle, 39, was released from prison on Monday after convincing a bondsman to put up the more than $1.3 million bail on Monday based on a bogus letter from a dead lawyer, the Connecticut Post reports.

On Tuesday, Stiggle, who is awating trial on the alleged incident involving his wife, missed his court date.

Officers say Stiggle stabbed his ex-wife in Bridgeport on May 30 and forced her into a car. The chase ended the following day, when he crashed his car in New York during a chase that started in Holyoke, Mass. The woman survived.

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Neptune Man Facing Assault, Weapons Charges After Bail Bondsman Turns Him In

2010-09-14T09:16:00.000-07:00

ASBURY PARK — A 26-year-old man is facing weapons charges in the city after he was arrested by Ocean Township police for allegedly failing to pay fines, police said.

Just before 5 p.m. last Thursday, Lawrence Brown, of Neptune, was turned in at the Ocean Township police headquarters by his bail bonds company after he failed to pay a loitering fine from Feb. 20, according to Ocean Township Lt. Steven Peters.

"Brown was arrested for hindering his own apprehension when he gave a false name during a motor vehicle stop, but a judge amended the charge to loitering," Peters said. "He never paid the fine."

The Ocean Township warrant for his arrest was issued Aug. 25, according to Peters. On Thursday, he was held on $1,078 bail, which he was unable to pay.

Asbury Park police also had a warrant out for Brown's arrest. When they learned Brown was arrested in Ocean Township, they charged him with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon.

On Aug. 26, at about 1:23 a.m., Brown approached a Saturn parked near 400 Ridge Ave. in Asbury Park, which had a 17-year-old girl inside, and smacked a handgun against the window of the car, according to city Detective Lt. Mary Bulsiewicz.

The girl, whose name is not being released because she is a minor, got scared and reversed the car into a tree before shifting into drive and speeding past Brown, Bulsiewicz said.

The girl flagged down a police officer, who was around the corner at Ridge and Washington avenues, and reported the incident, according to Bulsiewicz. She identified Brown by photographs.

Brown was taken to Monmouth County Jail, Freehold Township, where he is being held on bail set at $100,000.

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International Fidelity Fined $442,000 for Bail Bond Violations; Other Bail Bond Insurers Put on Notice

2010-09-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

DENVER, Sept. 7 -- The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies' Division of Insurance issued the following news release:

Following an examination by the Division of Insurance, International Fidelity Insurance Company, a Colorado-regulated casualty company based in New Jersey, must pay a civil fine of $442,000 for numerous violations of insurance law related to Colorado bail bond business.

International Fidelity Insurance Company is licensed to provide a range of surety bonds in Colorado, but the recent market conduct examination focused solely on its bail bond business. Some issues addressed in the examination report include:

-Failure to handle funds in a fiduciary capacity,

-Failure to appropriately contract with all agents,

-Failure to require bail bond agents to complete required documentation,

-Failure to include all required information on documentation related to the issuance of bail bonds, and

-Failure to properly document deviations from filed rates.

"The Division's examination of International Fidelity Insurance Company is one of the first of several ongoing market conduct examinations we have conducted on bail bond insurers, but it will not be the last," said Insurance Commissioner Marcy Morrison. "The Division wants to send a clear message that the issues and the standards addressed in this exam will impact every bail bond insurer and its agents, as well as every cash and professional cash agent licensed in Colorado. There are other bail bond market conduct exams currently in progress and we expect to continue to call examinations on additional companies, both large and small."

Morrison pointed out that an agent accurately completing required bail bond paperwork is not optional; it is required in Colorado law. "The law's intent is to protect the consumer. Families and individuals who must use a bail bond agent can be in a vulnerable position and they depend on the bail bond agent to act appropriately to complete and file correct paperwork, which protects the consumer's interests," she said.

International Fidelity provided a remedial plan to correct the failures uncovered in the examination, which must now be implemented no later than December 31, 2010. The Division found that IFIC's remedial plan addressed the issues and violations set forth in the Final Agency Order. Morrison stated that over the next few months, the Division will expect and require all other bail bond insurers and agents in Colorado to reach the same level of compliance as seen in IFIC's plan .

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Bondsmen Charged with False Imprisonment

2010-09-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

Richard Wayne Angle, 51, and Terry Lee Henderson, 44, representatives of AAA Freedom Bail Bonds, stand charged with false imprisonment, a serious misdemeanor after they allegedly held an individual for over 24 hours, handcuffed to a bed in a one-room garage with two dogs.
The two were arrested at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, at the Clay County Jail.

According to the Clay County Sheriff's report, Angle and Henderson assisted an individual in bonding out of jail as representatives of AAA Freedom Bail Bonds.

After family members of the individual realized that their home had been used as collateral, the family representatives contacted the bonding company and advised them the bond would be revoked and asked the lien to be released immediately.

Upon receiving the information, the two bail bondsmen located the individual and brought him back to the Clay County Jail. Jail officials advised Triple AAA bondsmen that they could not take the individual as no paperwork was available and it would take several days to clear through the courthouse.

Upon leaving the courthouse, the two men allegedly took the individual to Everly and handcuffed him to a bed in a garage and placed two rottwieller dogs in the garage with him. They held him there for over 24 hours according to the sheriff's report, waiting the paperwork to clear, and then brought the individual to the jail.

The complaint, filed by Cindy Brokens of Scotch Grove, on Aug. 31, suggested the false imprisonment occurred over a four-day period of time. The complaint suggested that the individual should have been released on bond in accordance with state laws, and the individual had the right to be released.

According to the report, the bondsmen in the investigation admitted they would have to let him go, and didn't have a driver's license to drive around and locate him again.

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Vegas Police Defend Hilton's Quick Jail Release

2010-09-07T09:18:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas police are defending Paris Hilton's quick release from jail after her Aug. 27 arrest on suspicion of cocaine possession, saying they wanted to avoid disruptions in the jail's operations.

Hilton was out of the jail in about three hours, roughly half the average time it takes to process people facing the same charge through the Clark County Detention Center, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Chief Jim Dixon, who runs the jail, acknowledged Hilton was pushed through the booking process to get her into a separate room and out of the jail as soon as possible.

He noted a crowd of about 100 people gathered outside the Wynn Las Vegas resort to snap photos and shoot video of Hilton while her boyfriend, Cy Waits, was pulled over and arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

"Yeah, she was treated differently so I don't have a disruption of my process here at the county jail," Dixon told the Review-Journal. "When you bring somebody in like that, everybody comes over and tries to look at them. I'd have officers attempting to keep inmates away from her. I'd have disruptions."

Because of overcrowding, Hilton presented a major problem for jailers, Dixon added.

"She was moved along out of the general area and put in isolation where nobody can actually get to her. ... As soon as (her release on her own recognizance) was pushed through, she was kicked out," he said.

Jessica Murray of Bob's Bail Bonds said she was bothered by Hilton's rapid release. Murray, whose clients are mostly "working girls" arrested for nonviolent soliciting or trespassing, said the average booking time on those charges is four to 12 hours, followed by another four to 12 hours until release.

"I could understand putting her in a separate room. But I don't understand putting her above everyone else," Murray said. "If you're alleged to commit a crime, you get treated like everybody else."

But Tony Collins of 911 Bail Bonds said he understood why Hilton was treated differently.

"If she had gotten out in 30 minutes, that would have been special treatment," he said.

Hilton, 29, was charged with one felony count of cocaine possession after authorities say she opened a purse in front of a police lieutenant and a small baggie of cocaine fell out. Hilton claims neither the purse nor the cocaine was hers.

She's scheduled to appear before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Joe Bonaventure on Oct. 27.

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No Charges Yet in Death of Bail Bondsman

2010-09-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA – The results of a month-long investigation into the shooting death of a bail bondsman are expected to be submitted to the District Attorney's office by the end of September, authorities said.

The investigation, conducted by the Orange County Sheriff's Department, centers on whether an 51-year-old man was justified at firing at Dean Patrick Maldonado when the bail bondsman entered the home of a Rancho Santa Margarita woman in July.

Investigators are awaiting laboratory results, said Dan Salcedo, investigator with the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Officials said the shooting occurred after a loud encounter outside the21300 block of Stonetower Drive, where a woman that Maldonado was dating lived.

Maldonado and the owner of the home had an on-and-off relationship, and another man was visiting her at the house when Maldonado arrived, Salcedo said.

Officials did not say why Maldonado, of Newport Beach, drove to the Rancho Santa Margarita home just before midnight, but an argument broke out as soon as he arrived.
Maldonado began screaming outside the home, prompting at least one neighbor to call 911, Salcedo said.

A second neighbor also called police, stating that Maldonado was screaming and standing in the backyard of the house.

Maldonado allegedly walked into the house through an unlocked sliding door and into an upstairs bedroom.

The woman's friend took a handgun that was being kept in a locked box, officials said.

Officials did not identify who, but either the woman or her friend dialed 911 to report the disturbance.

Maldonado then walked into the upstairs bedroom, where the 51-year-old man fired several times into his chest.

Officials have made no arrests and have declined to release the man's name, citing an ongoing investigation.

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Lower Bail for Nonviolent Suspects Helps County, Hurts Businesses

2010-08-31T08:59:00.000-07:00

Getting out of jail in Spokane County is getting cheaper.

After years of inmate overcrowding and a push by the county to streamline the judicial system, prosecutors, defense lawyers and bond companies are seeing judges impose lower bail amounts on nonviolent crime suspects, making it easier to get out of jail while awaiting trial.

That trend, while helping reduce county spending, has triggered a mild backlash among those who tend to benefit from crowded jails and stiff bail requirements.

“It’s driving us out of the bonding business in this town,” said Rodger Betschart Jr., owner of Ace’s Bail Bonds.

Bail bond companies make their money by charging crime suspects a fee, usually about 10 percent of the total bail amount, in exchange for posting their bail. The higher the bail amount, the higher the fee.

One factor in reducing the jail population could be the expansion of a pretrial release program that analyzes a defendant’s criminal record, history of court appearances and ties to the community and makes a recommendation on whether they should be released. If a defendant has a history of compliance with court orders, for example, or no indications of violent behavior, judges are more likely to impose little or no bail, enabling suspects to return to their lives rather than sit in jail while awaiting trial.

“We’re trying different things instead of just locking them up and holding them with a high bond,” said Superior Court Judge Annette Plese, who monitors bond companies for the court.

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Thomas Porteous' Defense Says Four Judges Took Money From Corrupt Bond Agents

2010-08-26T09:40:00.001-07:00

As Thomas Porteous, the impeached federal judge from Metairie, prepares his defense before the U.S. Senate, he is alleging that 10 other judges received money from the bail bonds company at the center of the expansive federal investigation into the Jefferson Parish Courthouse corruption.

In a "proposed stipulation of facts," Porteous' attorneys allege that these judges received money from Louis and Lori Marcotte, siblings who pleaded guilty in 2006 in a racketeering and mail fraud conspiracy connected to their business, Bail Bonds Unlimited. His attorneys don't describe the intent of the payments nor do they mention Porteous ever receiving money from the Marcottes.

Share But by suggesting that other judges were more susceptible than Porteous to the wiles of the Marcottes, the defense hopes to keep Porteous on the bench of the U.S. District Court in New Orleans. The House of Representatives impeached Porteous in March, setting up his trial in the Senate. If convicted by the Senate, Porteous would lose his lifetime job, which currently pays $174,000 a year. He's close to the end of a two-year paid suspension.

Porteous fell under suspicion after the FBI, in what the agency called Operation Wrinkled Robe, began examining allegations of corruption at the Gretna courthouse in 1999. He was a state judge there for 10 years until President Clinton appointed him to the federal bench in 1994.

The investigation sent two Gretna judges to prison, and a third was removed from office by the Louisiana Supreme Court. But the U.S. Justice Department decided not to charge Porteous with a crime, instead referring him to his federal court superiors for impeachment.

Of the 10 judges who reportedly received money from the Marcottes, Porteous' defense names only four: Patrick McCabe and Stephen Windhorst of the 24th Judicial District Court in Gretna, George Giacobbe of Jefferson's 1st Parish Court in Metairie and Roy Cascio of the 2nd Parish Court in Gretna. This is the first time these specific accusations, attributed to the Marcottes' depositions, have surfaced publicly in the aftermath of the Wrinkled Robe investigation.

Porteous' attorneys did not release the Marcottes' original testimony this week.

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Bail Bondsman Arrested For Forced Labor, Blackmail

2010-08-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. - Lexington County Sheriff’s detectives arrested a bondsman on charges that he forced a woman to perform manual labor and sexual acts for him as a condition of posting her bail.

Curtis Jackson Maroney, 51, was arrested on charges of blackmail and trafficking in persons for forced labor or services.

He is being held without bond at the Lexington County Detention Center.

Maroney works as a licensed bondsman with a Lexington-based bonding company, Affordable Bonding Company.

Arrest warrants allege that on August 12, Maroney posted bail for the 39-year-old Lexington woman and obtained the woman’s release from the Lexington County Detention Center.

He posted her bail on the condition that the woman act as his girlfriend which included cleaning, cooking, as well as performing manual labor and sexual acts.

Maroney remained with the woman at all times and told the woman that he would revoke her bond and arrest her if she did not obey all of his commands.

Maroney extorted services from the woman in lieu of payment for bail.

The woman was arrested on July 31 on charges of driving under the influence. She was released August 12 after Maroney posted bail in cash that totaled $16,122.50.

On August 17, the woman reported the blackmail and forced labor allegations to the Sheriff’s Department after she convinced Maroney to drive her to her father’s home near Lexington to visit her two children.

Maroney waited in his vehicle outside the home of the woman’s father. After she telephoned the Sheriff’s Department, the woman refused to leave her father’s residence until she spoke with deputies.

Under South Carolina law, trafficking in persons for forced labor or services is a felony that carries a maximum punishment of 15 years in prison. Blackmail carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

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Bondsman Jailed After Targeting Wrong Home

2010-08-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

A pair of Florida bail bondsmen found themselves in custody after entering the wrong house, according to Laurinburg police.

Ellis Fernandez Danley, 43, of Orlando, and Adrion John Webb, 28, of Ocoee, entered a Laurinburg home on Beech Street with guns at their sides while looking for a person who had skipped bail in Florida, according to a Laurinburg police report.

After interviewing the homeowner, they realized they had come to the wrong house, police said.

The homeowner told officers that one of the bondsman had his gun drawn, though he did not point the gun at anyone, Capt. Kim Monroe said. The other bondsman had his gun holstered.

Monroe said the person they were looking for had missed court on a misdemeanor charge.

Danley and Webb were charged with misdemeanor breaking and entering and placed in Scotland County jail under a $500 bond.

"Better preparation could and should have taken place before making that entry," Monroe said.

The pair work for All-Star Bail Bonds, according to the report.

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Final Charge Against Naples Bail Bondsman Dismissed

2010-08-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

NAPLES — Living up to his nickname, Teflon Joe, Naples bail bondsman Joe Houston walked out of the Collier County Courthouse a free man on Monday, after a judge dismissed the last felony charge remaining against him.

The ruling by Circuit Judge Frank Baker came six months after the judge dismissed a majority of charges against Houston, 38, who owns Liberty Bail Bonds and Express Bail Bonds in Naples, Immokalee and Fort Myers.

It’s been nearly three years since Houston’s arrest on charges that he permitted a felon to act as a bail bond agent, allowed someone to act as a bail bond agent without a license and solicited business inside the county jail by making deposits into inmates’ commissary accounts. He faced up to five years in state prison on each felony.

The charge dismissed Monday, employing a convicted felon, involved Arrie Denise Robinson, 47, who is employed by Houston as a secretary at Express Bail Bonds in Immokalee. She was convicted of welfare fraud in 1986 and ordered to return $786.33 she’d illegally obtained.

Baker agreed with defense attorneys Michael Levin and Donald Day that the charge applies to bond agents, not office employees.

After Baker granted the motion to dismiss, Meike Moss, who works for Houston, hugged her boss as they walked out of court. Both declined comment, as did Levin, but Day hoped it would send a message to those who believe Houston acts illegally.

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Bail Bondsmen Face Tough Times

2010-08-18T09:47:00.000-07:00

Although many people assume that the bail bonds industry would shine during difficult economic times, it now faces multiple challenges that are putting a tremendous amount of pressure on bail agents. Bail bonds are far from recession proof and bail bondsmen are faced with an unprecedented business environment.

Bail bondsmen make their money by posting bonds to courts on behalf of defendants, thus securing their release. However, a number of states are pushing pretrial release programs that would allow defendants to be freed from jail without having to use a bail bondsman. Essentially, the court steps in to selectively release defendants it feels are suitable to be freed without paying bail.

Pretrial release program advocates point to the positive effects of counseling and rehabilitation that usually accompany these programs. While bail bond trade groups are quick to cite the increased taxpayer costs of pretrial release programs when the state facilitates the release rather than a bail bondsman. Not coincidentally, those selected for pretrial release programs are often the most attractive bail bonds customers. They are those perceived to be low flight risks and having a high likelihood of appearing in court as ordered. In the end, the more pretrial release programs take hold, the more pressure bondsmen will face from shrinking markets and competing with government programs.

Not only are bail bondsmen feeling pressure from a fundamental shift in the bail and release paradigm, but the economy has also hampered the industry. While crime usually increases during difficult economies, it doesn’t necessarily translate to more robust business for bondsmen. Bail bondsmen are in essence lenders and the credit of potential borrowers isn’t great.

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Bail Bonds Now Available by Phone and Online From Almost Anywhere in the Country

2010-08-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

Jacksonville, FL (PRWEB) August 14, 2010

While not at all like a get-out-of-jail-free card, BailZoom.com does provide a potentially valuable service to those who are in trouble with the law. When a bail bond is required to spring someone from the city jail, it often involves the frustrating task of sitting with a phone book trying to find a bail bondsman who answers the phone and who can help quickly.

With BailZoom.com, only one phone number is needed. The BailZoom network includes bail bond agents who can provide service in all 46 states where bail bonding is allowed. Because those who work in the bail bond industry are typically only licensed in one state due to the variation in laws and requirements from state to state, utilizing the information on the BailZoom Web site can save those in need of an agent a lot of time and trouble.

Some have found the process of finding a bail bond agent to be time consuming and frustrating, particularly on a weekend or holiday. BailZoom.com is available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Someone is always available to answer questions and help locate an agent that can get the bail bond process started.

Because BailZoom.com has bail bond agents in all 46 states that allow bail bonding, the services are available nationwide. The process has been simplified, but the procedures are the same as with a traditional bail bond agent. The agent that works on each case is licensed in the state where the offense occurred and has a full understanding of local laws and procedures.

The fee is the same as it would be if the bail bond agent were located using any other method. Typically, the fee is between 8% and 15% of the total bond amount. In some cases collateral may be required, but in most cases BailZoom.com can provide a bond with no need for collateral.

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Panel Eyes Ways to Collect Bail Bucks in Philadelphia

2010-08-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

Members of a state Senate panel yesterday heard a host of ideas to improve the city's bail-collection system - including using private bondsmen to chase after the money, and providing alternatives to cash bail.

About $1 billion in bail is owed to the city, and 47,000 bench warrants are outstanding for fugitives who failed to come to court.

Common Pleas President Judge Pamela Pryor Dembe yesterday told the Judiciary Committee at a public hearing in Center City that the $1 billion figure is "mythical" because it is, for the most part, uncollectible.

She testified that the Clerk of Quarter Sessions office - which before April operated independently from the courts - failed to aggressively pursue bail collection.

Most of the money is uncollectible because the defendants have died, the clerk's office did not keep accurate records of addresses or the statute of limitations to collect the debt has passed.

The oldest bail debt was determined to date from 1943.

When asked by state Sen. Michael Stack, D-Northeast Philadelphia, how much of the $1 billion could be collected if the court system had all the resources it needed, Dave Wasson, chief deputy court administrator, estimated 2 to 3 percent, or $20 million to $30 million.

Dembe, Jodi Lobel, chief of the district attorney's charging unit, and Stuart Schuman, chief of the Municipal Court unit in the public defenders' office, told the senators that they did not think it would be a good idea to have private bail bondsmen operating extensively in the city again.

Dembe said the city had moved away from that system because of "corruption [and] physical abuse."

Brian J. Frank, president of Lexington National Insurance Corp., the only insurance company now underwriting bail bonds in criminal cases after the city placed high barriers to do such business here, testified that the business is different today from the 1960s - when corruption was the norm.

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Judge Recuses Himself From Bail Bondsman’s Hearing

2010-08-11T08:34:00.001-07:00

A court hearing in a case against a local bail bondsman was postponed Monday when a judge recused himself due to a conflict of interest.

Washington County Circuit Judge Daniel P. Dwyer said he could not hear the case against Gregory Lehman Toms “for reasons personal to me and my family.”

Toms, 54, of 19932 Lemuel Lane in Boonsboro, was indicted in June on charges of possession of an explosive/incendiary device with intent to create a destruction device, possession of black powder in excess of 5 pounds, transporting a handgun in a vehicle, possession of a stolen firearm, theft of less than $1,000 and possession of marijuana, according to Washington County Circuit Court records.

The indictment came as the result of a search of Toms’ home on June 2, Cpl. Greg Alton of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department has said.

The case was scheduled for a hearing Monday on motions by the defendant to suppress evidence and to dismiss the charges of explosive device possession, black powder possession and transporting a handgun in a vehicle, court records show.

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Three Arrested in Santa Clarita Brush Fire

2010-08-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department arrested three people Sunday in connection with a brush fire in the Santa Clarita Valley that scorched more than 40 acres and prompted the evacuation of 30 homes.

A 14-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of arson and two others were arrested for allegedly obstructing firefighters, according to the department.

The fire broke out just before 2 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of Copper Hill Drive and Haskell Canyon Road. Firefighters had knocked down all visible flames by about 4:30 p.m

The fire burned about 43 acres, and about 30 homes were evacuated, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The blaze was 60% contained by late Sunday.

Witnesses reported seeing two youths running from the area shortly after the fire broke out.

About an hour and a half later, a sheriff's deputy detained two 14-year-old boys matching their description, sheriff's Capt. Mike Parker said.

One of the boys admitted he was smoking marijuana when he dropped a barbecue lighter in the dry brush. He and his friend tried stomping on the fire but ran away when that didn't work, Parker said. The boy was charged with arson and his friend was released.

Anthony Fierro, 33, of Saugus and a 16-year-old boy were arrested after they defied repeated orders to move away from the fire, Parker said. The pair, who were not together, prevented helicopters from dropping water on the blaze, he said.

"They seem to have some extraordinary desire to be close to the fire," Parker said.

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After 18 Months, Serious Charges Against Bail Bondsman Remain Largely Unexamined

2010-08-06T07:34:00.000-07:00

A year and a half after Bexar County's leading bail bondsman starred in an Express-News report on whether he offered illicit favors to a range of public officials in exchange for business, it's hard to find evidence that the explosive allegations against him have been taken seriously.

That doesn't mean Albert Saenz did anything wrong. It does mean the charges against the owner of AA BEST Bail Bonds haven't been vetted as fully as they should've been.

Activity has picked up recently, though there may be injustice in that, too. Tim Ybarra, who worked in the D.A.'s bond forfeiture section, was reassigned last month to the office's juvenile division.

Assistant District Attorney Cliff Herberg said that was done after he saw a new affidavit from Brenda Flores, who managed Saenz's office but was fired more than a year ago, saying Ybarra gave Saenz extra time to find fugitives and pay penalties in exchange for cash.

That's doubly sensitive because Ybarra is the Democratic candidate for county clerk in November. Herberg — whose boss, Susan Reed, also is on the ballot — said the affidavit had been referred to the Texas Rangers, who have a policy not to discuss allegations involving a candidate close to an election.

But that begs another question: Why did everybody wait so long?

The allegations against Saenz first surfaced on Nov. 23, 2008, in an Express-News story by John MacCormack, who spoke to 11 former employees, a half-dozen of whom accused Saenz of improprieties. Two told MacCormack this week that they hadn't been interviewed by anyone — not the Rangers, not the district attorney or sheriff's offices, and not the Bexar County Bail Bond Board, which held a hearing in January 2009 but took no action.

I wasn't able to reach Robert DeLeon, the bail bond board's administrator, on Thursday, but Ed Schweninger, the board's attorney, said the hearing had been less detailed than he'd expected.
He said the board doesn't have an investigative arm.

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New Jersey Tightens Reins on Bounty Hunters

2010-08-04T09:04:00.000-07:00

Bounty hunters in New Jersey can now call themselves licensed professionals as the state begins to corral an industry that is better known for its cowboys than its boy scouts.

The first licenses – 84 wallet-sized IDs with the words "Bounty Hunter" emblazoned across the top – were issued by New Jersey State Police several months ago in response to legislation that was designed to remove the kind of bad actors who mistook a Rutherford woman for a fugitive in 2005.

Those who support the licensing requirement, who include bounty hunters and the bail bond agents who hire them, say it helps legitimize an industry that operated without accountability.

But some of the same bounty hunters who support the idea of regulation, say few municipal police departments are asking for identification cards.

"I have yet to have any cop ask me for my New Jersey Bounty Hunters license," said Joe Banzaca, who goes hunting with his middle-aged nephew at least once a week for ASAP Bail Bonds in Hackensack. "It's just another way for this state to make money."

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Snooki Arrested, Released for Disorderly Conduct

2010-08-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

Jersey Shore" star Snooki was released from jail Friday after being arrested earlier in the day in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, for disorderly conduct, Us Weekly reported.

The 22-year-old breakout reality television star, whose real name is Nicole Polizzi, appeared to be intoxicated as she was taken away by police.

"On Friday at approximately 15:23 hours, Nicole Polizzi was acting in a disorderly matter while on the beach," Seaside Heights chief of police Thomas J. Boyd told the magazine.

"Miss Polizzi was escorted from the beach by patrolmen and placed under arrest for disorderly conduct ... near the boardwalk.

"She was transported to police headquarters and later released on a summons."

A police spokesperson said that meant Snooki will be assessed by a judge in court at a date to be determined and will likely be ordered to pay a fine.

She was not required to pay any bail money to be released from custody.

Jenni "J-Woww" Farley wrote on Twitter Friday: "Going to bail @Sn00ki out of jail ... The things I do for this girl, I swear."

Entertainment website Hollywood Life reported that Snooki had earlier purchased a beer bong and was seen consuming shots from it. She was also seen doing body shots at a beachside bar.

The cast of the MTV show was scheduled to be in Seaside Heights this week to film the third season of the hit show, which follows eight Italian-American young people as they enjoy the summer at the beach.

The show's second season, filmed earlier this year in Miami, premiered Thursday evening.

More than 5.3 million people tuned in -- a 300 percent increase on last season's premiere -- becoming the network's second biggest premiere of all time, behind the second season debut of "The Osbournes."

In the first season of "Jersey Shore," Snooki was herself the victim of an intoxicated patron who punched her in the face in a bar.

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‘Dangerous’ Inmate Walks out of Rhode Island Prison with Someone Else’s ID

2010-07-30T11:31:00.001-07:00

CRANSTON — It was 45 minutes after inmate Nayquan J. Gadson presented the identification of another prisoner and walked out of the Adult Correctional Institutions Tuesday before guards realized they had been tricked, the state police say.

By then, the 21-year-old was gone.

Gadson, who had been held at the ACI since July 2 and was facing numerous charges including first-degree robbery, possession of a firearm in committing a crime of violence and eluding police, became the first prisoner to escape from the prison since career criminal Scott Kelly Hansen slipped out in November 1998 by posing as a federal marshal, according to Providence Journal archives.

Throughout the day Wednesday, members of the State Police Violent Fugitive Task Force, as well as police from across the state, searched for the 5-feet, 8-inch, 170-pound inmate. Due to his past record, he has been deemed highly dangerous by the state police.

Capt. David S. Neill, state police detective commander, said Gadson, who had been assigned to a two-man cell in the Intake Center’s H Mod, is believed to have hatched the plan for his escape while talking to another inmate who was assigned there.

Neill refused to identify the other inmate, referring to him as “John Doe.” Neill said the inmate advised Gadson that he would be walking out of the prison if he could make bail. Gadson, according to Neill, concocted a scheme whereby a friend on the outside would contact a bail bondsman to say that Doe was ready to make bail.

With the payment arranged, both Doe and Gadson knew that the bondsman would be coming by the facility Tuesday at 5 p.m. to do the final paperwork for Doe’s release. In anticipation of his arrival, the two men switched cells, Neill said.

Each cell typically serves two inmates, but on Monday, Doe moved into an empty cell because Gadson’s roommate was due for a court appearance. Gadson moved into Doe’s cell, sharing space with Doe’s roommate.

According to Neill, the unsuspecting bondsman, whom Neill also refused to identity, showed up at the Intake Center to make the bail payments for Doe. Told that Doe was ready to be released, a guard went to his cell and found two prisoners, one of whom identified himself as Doe.

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Prosecutor: Okla Bondsman Facing Charge Kills Self

2010-07-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

WYNNEWOOD — A Wynnewood bail bondsman committed suicide Monday, five days after he was arrested on an allegation he attempted to bribe a district attorney, authorities said. Louis Perry, owner of Perry Bail Bonds, was free on bail when he reportedly shot himself in the chest, said Carter County District Attorney Craig Ladd. Perry and

his wife, Ramona, were arrested July 21 on a

complaint they attempted to bribe Ladd. Ladd had asked that the case be assigned to the Bryan County district attorney's office, since he expected to be a witness. Tim Webster, Bryan County

assistant district attorney, said he is still reviewing evidence in the case to determine whether a criminal charge is warranted against Perry's widow.

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Bail Bond Companies Claim Conflict with Pretrial Release

2010-07-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

Cradling his office phone between his head and left shoulder, Raul "Katt" Brewster grabs his cell mid-ring and answers, "Bail bonds."

His fluorescent orange office walls hit like smelling salt. They keep him alert, Brewster says.

"Twenty thousand?" asks Brewster, the manager of the Wilmington office of Powell Bail Bonding. "Can you come up with a G? ... Can you come up with a thousand?"

In the few minutes between phone calls, Brewster talks about his trade and its "adversary:" pretrial release.

Sitting eight miles away in an office at the New Hanover County courthouse, Ray Murphy disagrees.

The pretrial release contractor says, "The public is going to win when pretrial and bonding cooperate."

Bail bonding companies and pretrial release programs get people out of jail as they wait for their court date. Both say they reduce prison populations.

But bail bonding companies say pretrial costs taxpayers money that should be spent elsewhere, while pretrial advocates say the program rehabilitates offenders and monitors them as they pay fines and child support.

For some bail companies, the feud has become political. Brewster said bail bond companies lobby state legislatures to limit pretrial release programs and represent their interests on other issues.

Locally, the Lower Cape Fear Bail Bonding Association represents bail agents, while the North Carolina Bail Agents Association is its statewide counterpart. Also, the N.C. Bail Agents Association Political Action Committee raises money and donates it to General Assembly campaigns and committees.

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Pope To Be Protected From Arrest On UK Visit

2010-07-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Government has moved to prevent the possibility of an arrest warrant being issued against the Pope during his state visit this autumn.

Sky News understands that Whitehall officials have been "seriously concerned" that campaigners would use international criminal rules to try to detain the Pontiff while he is in the UK.

Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson QC were among those campaigners reported to be looking at the options for bringing a private prosecution in relation to the Pope's alleged cover-up of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

Now Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has proposed changes to the rules on universal jurisdiction, a law that allows individuals to be prosecuted in the UK for serious offences such as war crimes, crimes against humanity and torture even if they were carried out abroad.

The plans would mean the Director of Public Prosecutions would need to give his consent to any arrest warrant issued under universal jurisdiction.

This would effectively mean taking that power out of the hands of the courts.

Ministers say the current rules are open to abuse because the evidence required to get a warrant is far below the threshold that would be needed to bring a prosecution.

This has meant the rules are often used by those who wish to make a political statement or to cause embarrassment.

The most recent attempt to obtain an arrest warrant for a foreign dignitary was ahead of the visit by former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni who cancelled her trip at the last minute to avoid embarrassment.

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Fort Myers Woman Tried to Pay for Bail with Stolen Property

2010-07-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

Lee County sheriff’s deputies arrested a Fort Myers woman after they say she was taking an acquaintance’s belongings to pay her bail.

Nicole Degrasse, 24, received charges of burglary, larceny and dealing in stolen property. She had been booked into jail Saturday for possession and sale of opiates.

Degrasse’s acquaintance Brianna Neberman found Degrasse and two bail bonds agents in her apartment on Lakeshore Lane Monday around 10:30 p.m.. When Neberman looked alarmed, the bail bonds agents asked if Degrasse lived there, which Neberman replied she did not, according to a sheriff’s report.

Degrasse’s bail had been set at $35,000 and she needed $3,500 collateral to give to a bail bonds agent so she could get out of jail, the report said. Degrasse had taken the agents to another apartment, which she could not unlock, then took them to Neberman’s, where she said she also resided.

Degrasse had attempted to take DVDs, a laptop, a watch, an Apple Ipod and keys to a Ford Mustang.

Neberman’s boyfriend called deputies, who placed Degrasse under arrest.

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Bail Bondsman Fatally Shot Inside Rancho Santa Margarita Home

2010-07-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

The owner of a bail bond agency was shot and killed inside a Rancho Santa Margarita home, authorities said Sunday.

Just before midnight Saturday, 49-year-old Dean Patrick Maldonado of Newport Beach arrived at the residence of a woman he knew and entered the house in the 21300 block of Stonetower Lane through an unlocked sliding glass backdoor, Orange County Sheriff’s spokesman Jim Amormino said.

The woman, about 45, had a 51-year-old male guest with her, and neighbors reported hearing the three screaming before multiple shots were fired, Amormino said. Maldonado, who runs Dean Maldonado Bail Bonds, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The relationship of the three was unknown. "What led up to the shooting is under investigation and no arrests have been made at this point," Amormino said.

According to his Facebook page, Maldonado was single and had at least two children.

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Inmate Involved in Bail Bondsman Jailhouse Scheme to be Released After Time Served

2010-07-16T11:01:00.001-07:00

NAPLES — One of Collier County jail’s most frequent inmates was expected to walk out of the jailhouse doors a free man Wednesday night.

Patrick Rosemellia, 46, whose rap sheet contains about two dozen felony convictions and more misdemeanors, was expected to leave the jail hours after Circuit Judge Frank Baker granted his defense attorneys’ motion to enforce a plea agreement they contended the State Attorney’s Office reneged on.

The man he was to testify against as a star witness — Naples bondsman Joe Houston — still hadn’t posted his bond by 7:30 p.m.

“The state and Mr. Rosemellia had an agreement, and my client did his part,” defense attorney Beverly Brennan, co-counsel with attorney Michelle Hill, said afterward. “I’m very glad that Judge Baker took the time to consider our arguments and then held the state to their promise.”

Two months ago, Baker denied their motions, but Hill filed a new one, attaching transcripts to prove Rosemellia — once the state’s star witness in cases against Houston and his business partner, Juanita Williams — hadn’t changed his testimony. Hill and Brennan argued he had consistently maintained he had no agreement with Houston to pay him for sending inmates to him for bonds.

In April, Baker ruled that Rosemellia violated a plea agreement and sentenced him to five years in state prison for acting as a bail bondsman without a license and violating probation due to a new drug arrest.

A day before sentencing, Brennan filed a motion to enforce the 15-month plea agreement.

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Assistant State Attorney Dave Scuderi told the judge he revoked the plea deal after Rosemellia changed his story in depositions and court hearings.

Wednsday afternoon, as Houston and Williams watched, Baker sentenced Rosemellia to 19.4 months in prison, time served because Rosemellia had been held 23 months. He hugged his lawyers, but was returned to jail to be processed and released.

He’s not truly a free man because he was arrested on a drug charge four days after his release from prison last September.

The bond case, which relied on Rosemellia, took years for investigators and prosecutors to build against Houston and his business partner, Williams, and Liberty Bail Bonds and Express Bail Bonds. It sparked protests that the two were being targeted because they are black.

South Daytona Police Get Arrest Warrant for Clumsy Would-Be Robber

2010-07-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

An arrest warrant has been issued for the man suspected of dropping his handgun into the lap of a woman he intended to rob late Friday, South Daytona police said.

Raymond Lewis Shepard, 25, of Daytona Beach, faces a charge of attempted robbery with a firearm. Police said Shepard was the passenger Friday in a black Chevrolet Impala that stopped on Pineapple Road in front of a vehicle driven by Carol Costello, 69, who had just left a Walmart store on Beville Road.

Shepard jumped from the Impala and tried to smash open the driver's side window with a silver, semiautomatic handgun wrapped in a towel, police said. Shepard failed to break the window, so he jumped on the hood of Costello's car and shattered a hole in the windshield with the butt of the gun, records show.

Shepard then dropped the handgun through the hole and into the Costello's lap. She grabbed the gun and pointed it at Shepard, who ran back toward the awaiting Impala, police said.

As Costello tried to drive away, she hit the front of the Impala and copied the car's license tag before Shepard and the driver sped off.

No one was injured, and no shots were fired.

Shepard dropped his cell phone at the scene and Costello was able to identify Shepard from digital photos saved to the phone, police said.

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Zimbabwe diamond activist wins bail

2010-07-12T08:24:00.000-07:00

HARARE — A Zimbabwean high court on Monday released a rights activist charged with endangering Zimbabwe's economic interests by highlighting abuses at diamond mines.

High court judge Mawadze Gurainesu said the prosecution had failed to give good reason on why Farai Maguwu, director of Centre for Research and Development should be denied bail.

"In my view the charges are very simple, clear and straightforward," the judge said.

"They involve publication of falsehoods prejudicial to state. The presumption of innocence operates in favour of the appellant, in other words grounds for refusal of bail should be substantiated."

Maguwu was arrested last month after meeting with a representative of the Kimberley Process watchdog assigned to investigate whether Zimbabwe had stopped the military from forcing villagers into working in the diamond fields.

Gurainesu said Maguwu should deposit 1,500 dollars with the clerk of court and ordered him not to travel beyond a 40-kilometre (25-mile) radius of his home.

The judge said Maguwu should not be made to pay for the slowness of the police investigation.

"Even at this late hour this court is not sure when the investigations would be completed," he said.

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Bail Bondsman Jailed on Drug Charges

2010-07-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

A Shreveport bail bondsman faces multiple drug and weapons charges after an investigation by the Caddo-Shreveport Narcotics Unit.

Agents arrested Grayson Bailey, 38, after a traffic stop at the intersection of Interstate 49 and state highway 3132 Tuesday afternoon.

They seized 90 Lortab pills in various containers from Bailey after the stop, said Shreveport police Lt. Richard Childers.

Agents searched Bailey's office on Texas Street in downtown Shreveport and seized Adderall, a prescription medication used to treat attention deficit disorder; Soma, another prescription medication; steriods; Viagra; and more Lortab. Officers said Bailey didn't have a prescription for any of those drugs.

Bailey was charged with three counts of manufacturing-distribution of a Schedule III drug, one count of manufacturing-distribution of a Schedule II drug, one count of manufacturing-distribution of a Schedule IV drug, two counts of possessing firearms while possessing controlled dangerous substances and one count of possession of a legend drug without a prescription

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Free agent QB JaMarcus Russell No Longer on Jets' Radar After Arrest

2010-07-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

JaMarcus Russell effectively eliminated himself from becoming a Jet any time this millennium with his latest bonehead move. The free agent quarterback was arrested at his Alabama home today for possession of a controlled substance during a police investigation.

The former Raiders signal caller was busted for codeine syrup, which can be mixed with soda to create “Purple Drank.” (Russell didn’t have a prescription for codeine).

He posted $2,500 bail and is due in court on July 20.

The Jets recently made an exploratory call to Russell’s agent after the former No. 1 overall pick was released by the Raiders. However, a league source told me last week that the chances of Russell signing with the Jets were less than 10 percent.

Not surprisingly, the Jets are no longer interested in the career underachiever, according to a source.

Russell, the poster boy for draft busts, won only seven of his 25 career starts with a career passer rating of 65.2. He was paid $36.4 million in his first three seasons.

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Suspects Indicted in LA for Celebrity Burglaries

2010-07-06T08:49:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES — Five people accused of burglarizing celebrities' homes now face conspiracy charges after a grand jury issued an indictment against the group.

The indictment, unsealed Friday, details the research and planning that went into the break-ins at the homes of stars such as Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Orlando Bloom and Megan Fox.

In the case of the break-in at Hilton's home, the indictment alleges group members prepared detailed floor plans, including the placement of security cameras and where the heiress stashed a key to the front door.

The group already faced a variety of charges, but prosecutors opted to present their case to grand jurors rather than having a judge evaluate the evidence during a preliminary hearing. Now, the group may go on trial by November.

They are accused of stealing millions of dollars worth of clothing, jewelry and other luxury items. Some of the property, including Hilton's jewelry, have been recovered. But prosecutor Sarika Kim said in court Friday that one of the defendants, Rachel Lee, may still have some of the goods.

An investigator previously told The Associated Press the value of the unrecovered property may be as much as $2 million.

The burglaries targeted young celebrities with homes in the Hollywood Hills between October 2008 and August 2009. Hilton's home was the first one burglarized; the indictment states planning started a month earlier.

The indicted include Nicholas Frank Prugo, who is charged with seven felony burglaries and has been described as a mastermind of the thefts. A 44-item summary of the alleged crimes states that Prugo often developed a "shopping list" of items to steal from the stars.

Also indicted were Lee, Courtney Lee Ames, Roy Lopez Jr. and Diana Tamayo.

The five pleaded not guilty Friday and agreed to return to court Aug. 12.

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Orange County bail bond agent accused of running illegal referral scheme

2010-07-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

A bail bond agent was arrested Friday on suspicion of running an illegal bail bond referral scheme, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.

Ronald Lee Brockway, 50, of Seal Beach allegedly solicited attorney referrals and inmate business, according to the district attorney’s office, which charged him with two felony counts of violating bail license regulations.

Brockway is accused of violating a state law that prohibits bail bond employees from soliciting business from inmates or recommending any attorney to clients. Brockway allegedly sent e-mails to attorneys soliciting them to participate in the bail bond scheme with his company, Respect Bail Bond. He also allegedly mass mailed fliers to the Orange County Jail advertising his business.

He is being held on $50,000 bail. If convicted of all charges, Brockway faces a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in state prison.

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Cyprus Police Arrest Suspect in Alleged Russian Spy Ring

2010-06-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

A man suspected of being the 11th member of a U.S. spy ring allegedly working for Russia was arrested and released on bail in Cyprus, AFP reported Tuesday.

Russia is now asking for access to the 11 people arrested.

Robert Christopher Metsos, 55, was arrested at Cyprus' Larnaca airport as he tried to leave the island for Budapest early Tuesday, police said.

A magistrate released Metsos on bail of $24,410 to reappear in court within 30 days, when an extradition hearing was due to start.

"Based on the (Interpol) red notice we received, he is wanted for money laundering and espionage," police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos told Reuters.

One of the 10 alleged Russian spies already arrested by the FBI had a fake British passport to help her to travel to and from Russia, it was alleged Tuesday.

A woman calling herself Tracey Lee Ann Foley and posing as a naturalized U.S. citizen traveled to Moscow on the passport forged for her by Russian intelligence services, it was claimed.

The woman was instructed in a coded internet message to pick up the passport in Vienna, sign it and “train yourself to be able to reproduce your signature when necessary."

The message from her handlers at the SVR, the Russian spy agency which succeeded the Soviet KGB, ends: “In the passport you’ll get a memo with recommendations. Pls, destroy the memo after reading. Be well.”

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Judge Denies Bail for Men in Synagogue Bomb Attempt

2010-06-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

June 25 (Bloomberg) -- Bail was denied for three of four men accused of plotting to blow up New York synagogues and attack aircraft at a military base with heat-seeking missiles. The fourth wasn’t eligible for pretrial release because of his immigration status.

U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in White Plains, New York, ruled on bail for James Cromitie, 44, David Williams, 28, and Onta Williams, 32.

“The court is also aware that the Government’s case may not be as ironclad as it appeared in the hours and days immediately after the defendants were arrested,” McMahon said in a ruling issued today. “Nonetheless, the court concludes that defendants Cromitie, Onta William and David Williams have failed to rebut the presumption and so they will remain on remand status.”

The three men and Laguerre Payen, 27, were arrested in May 2009 after planting the bombs in cars outside two synagogues in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, authorities said. Payen is Haitian and if released from jail would be turned over to immigration authorities.

Guided Missiles

The four men were indicted on charges that include conspiracy and attempted use of weapons of mass destruction in the U.S., conspiracy to use surface-to-air guided missiles to destroy and kill officers and employees at the New York Air National Guard Base located at Stewart International Airport in upstate New York. They face as much as life in prison.

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Dallas Man Accused of Threatening to Kill Presiden Obama is Denied Bail

2010-06-25T09:00:00.001-07:00

DALLAS, June 24 (UPI) -- A Dallas man arrested for allegedly posting a death threat against President Obama on the Internet was denied bail at a detention hearing, court records show.

Brian Dean Miller, 43, was arrested March 25 after admitting to Secret Service agents he posted the threat on Craigslist on March 21, the day Congress passed the healthcare bill, The Dallas Morning News reported.

"It is time for Obama to die," the posting said. "I am dedicating my life to the death of Obama and every employee of the federal government."

Authorities traced Miller through the e-mail address used for the Internet posting.

At a detention hearing Wednesday, a prosecutor argued Miller's posting shows he is too dangerous to be freed on bail.

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Madoff Accomplice DiPascali Freed on Bail, Monitored at Home

2010-06-23T08:38:00.000-07:00

June 23 (Bloomberg) -- Frank DiPascali Jr., who pleaded guilty to helping Bernard L. Madoff carry out history’s biggest Ponzi scheme, was released on bail on the conditions that he stay at home and wear a monitoring device.

DiPascali, 53, the former chief financial officer for Madoff’s company, had been in federal custody since pleading guilty on Aug. 11, 2009, and has cooperated with prosecutors in a bid for leniency at sentencing. Both he and his lawyer, Marc Mukasey, declined to comment yesterday as they left a federal courthouse in Manhattan.

Among the 11 conditions for bail U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan set in February were posting a $10 million bond secured by $2 million in cash or property, including $600,000 in equity in three New Jersey homes; 24-hour house arrest except under escort; and wearing an electronic monitoring device. DiPascali had been held at the Westchester County Jail in Valhalla, New York.

Sullivan’s order requires DiPascali to forfeit all of his family’s assets, except about $300,000. His release comes after Sullivan signed a $170 billion order of forfeiture for DiPascali on June 18.

DiPascali has turned over to the government his home in Bridgewater, New Jersey, a yacht, watches and jewelry, a Jet Ski, cars, two motorcycles, two minibikes, a scooter and a snowblower.

He pleaded guilty to 10 counts, including conspiracy, fraud and money laundering. He admitted misleading thousands of clients at Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, saying no securities trades took place in their accounts. Investors lost billions of dollars.

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Actor Chris Klein Arrested for DUI

2010-06-21T09:05:00.000-07:00

Chris Klein may have had his dog along for the ride this morning, but his new best friend is a bail bondsman.

E! News spotted the American Pie star leaving Van Nuys Jail this afternoon along with the guy who helped Lindsay Lohan post bail after her recent SCRAM violation.

Klein's bail had been set at $25,000 following his arrest at 3:15 a.m. for alleged DUI. A rep for the California Highway Patrol told E! News that the actor's blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit of .08 percent when he failed a field sobriety test.

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Forget Tim Tebow, Florida Gators should erect statue of Bail Bondsman

2010-06-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

It’s great that the Florida Gators will build bronze statues outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium that will honor Tim Tebow, Danny Wuerffel and Steve Spurrier, but aren’t the Gators forgetting somebody?

How about a statue for the two most important people in the program – the Unnamed Bail Bondsman and Huntley Johnson, the legendary local attorney who traditionally gets all of UF’s football players out of trouble when they get arrested?

The latest player to get arrested and suspended from all team activities is up-and-coming wide receiver Frankie Hammond, who was arrested for DUI last weekend when police said he was speeding, swerving and driving with two open bottles of Crown Royal whiskey in his car.

I know many college students drink and drive, but isn’t there a deeper problem when a guy is driving around with two open bottles of blended Canadian whiskey? If this is the type of binge drinking that UF football players do, it’s no wonder that former defensive end Carlos Dunlap became one of the biggest goats in UF athletic history when he fell asleep at a red light, was arrested for DUI and missed the SEC Championship Game last December.

It’s hard to keep track of all the arrests, but this is believed to be the the 28th football player to be charged with a crime since Florida coach Urban Meyer took over as coach in 2005. I know players from other programs also get arrested, but not at this rate.

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Bail Bondsman In Haleigh Cummings Case Under Indictment

2010-06-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

South Florida bail bondsman William Staubs, also known as ‘Cobra’, was arrested last week on charges of false imprisonment.

Putnam County Lt. Johnny Greenwood said Cobra, 51, allegedly detained a 55-year-old man, William Snodgrass, who was free on bail after being arrested for sex abuse.

Cobra drove to Snodgrass’ home on Mar. 20, and turned on his siren. Snodgrass told Cobra his bond was revoked, but Cobra threw him to the ground, handcuffed him, and forced him into a vehicle.

Bail Bondsman Angry with Lindsay Lohan

2010-06-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

Bail bondsman David Perez tells X17online he was called by Lindsay Lohan's attorney Shawn Chapman Holley today to appear at the Beverly Hills Courthouse in response to today's emergency hearing for what has been deemed as a violation of probation.

After officials received no fewer than FIVE violations by Lindsay, as recorded by her SCRAM alcohol and drug monitoring ankle bracelet on Sunday night when the information was uploaded to the city's computers, Judge Marcia Revel had Lindsay's attorney appear at the Beverly Hills Courthouse to hear her decision on the situation which is ... a warrant issued for Lindsay's arrest AND a bail increase to $200,000 (from a previous $100,000 which is now forfeited due to her violation).

Perez tells us: "We don't even know what we're gonna do right now; we're just waiting."
He confirmed to X17 the $100K was now forfeited. He refused to answer questions about whether Lindsay has been a reliable, responsible client but when asked if he thinks Lindsay is a risk he said, "Sure, I do."

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Colorado Bail Agents Respond to Negative Press

2010-06-09T14:35:00.001-07:00

Click to Play

A recent story by 9News in Colorado alleged that bail agents are attempting to petition courts to get out of paying forfeitures. Many members of the Colorado bail community believe that the reporter was unfair to the majority of Colorado's bail agents who play by the rules. Mike Donovan, Director of Government Affairs from Bail USA, gave AboutBail.com his take on the article. Visit http://www.AboutBail.com to learn more.

Lax Bail System Helped Cop Killer

2010-06-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

While he sat in the Pierce County Jail last year, Maurice Clemmons was obsessed with two things — getting bailed out, then killing as many cops as possible.

With more than a decade behind bars in Arkansas and having worked briefly for a bail-bond company himself, 37-year-old Clemmons knew how to manipulate the judicial system.

With incessant phone calls, he cajoled friends, family and bail agents to orchestrate his release — three times in seven months, making small down payments while offering shaky collateral.

Despite the customary 10 percent down, Clemmons got out one time on a $40,000 bond by making only a $1,700 payment. Another time, facing a $190,000 bond for a rash of felonies, including rape and assault, he won freedom with $8,000.

Six days later, he assassinated four Lakewood police officers at a Parkland coffee shop.

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Inside the Real World of a Bounty Hunter

2010-05-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

WATERLOO – Imagine a job where you could work, at any time during the day or night, convince people to reappear after vanishing and get paid only when you bring them back.

When a bounty hunter tells someone what they do for a living, the images of movies and television, especially Dog The Bounty Hunter, often come to mind. Yet in media, the bounty hunters pull in the people who are missing before the credits roll.

The team of Waterloo-based bounty hunters we followed on May 12th are part private investigators, part gentle interrogator and part sales professional.

“We’ve had guys get beat up, guns pulled on them,” admits David Lederman, owner of Lederman Bail Bonds in Waterloo, located across the street from the Black Hawk County Jail. This is his family’s business and has been since 1965.

Lederman said when a person calls their office to try and arrange for a bond to get released, the process starts. He said most of the bonds they write are for $1,000 or $2,000. The bail bonds company puts up that amount and Lederman collects 10 percent of the amount from a defendant’s co-signor — $100 or $200 for this example.

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TSA Agent on Bail After Stealing Cash

2010-05-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

A Transportation Security Administration agent surrendered to authorities on Tuesday and was charged with stealing almost $500 from a wheelchair-bound woman passing through a security checkpoint at Newark Liberty International Airport.

The TSA has suspended agent Leroy Ray, 44 of Newark, adding yet another incident to a growing list of troubling cases involving agency workers. Officials said 23 TSA agents have been removed or fired since 2007 for stealing items at security checkpoints or from checked baggage.
TSA surveillance cameras caught Ray taking money from a woman's purse after the bag passed through an X-ray machine Feb. 3, according to court documents. Ray allegedly took the bag to another table to search it and removed an envelope containing $300 and then $195 in cash from inside a zipper pocket.

The woman return minutes later to tell agents that she was missing the money. Ray walked into a nearby office when the woman returned to the checkpoint and placed what appeared to be the envelope in a lost and found tray, court documents said.

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Audit shows that Bail bonds were not deposited

2010-05-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

Toldeo, Ia. — At least $6,500 paid by accused criminals in Tama County as bail bonds was not deposited, according to a special investigation released by the state auditor Monday.

At least three bond payments between Feb. 23 and June 5 of 2009 were initially received by the Tama County sheriff's office and should have been remitted to the clerk's office for deposit, according to the audit. However, those deposits were not recorded on a receipt log, the audit concluded.

The audit was unable to determine whether the cash payments were received by the clerk and not deposited or whether the sheriff's office did not properly send the payment to the clerk's office.

The report was sent to the Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa attorney general's office and the Tama County attorney.

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Judge Cuts Teens Bail After NAACP Protests

2010-05-12T10:56:00.000-07:00

A district court judge in Redford Township ordered $25,000 cash bail amounts reduced Tuesday for all but one of 16 teenagers arrested late last month on charges of disturbing the peace near Thurston High School.

The decision by 17th District Judge Karen Khalil came after protesters organized by the NAACP Western Wayne Branch marched outside the court prior to the scheduled hearing with signs reading: "No justice, no peace."

Most of the teens, who are from Inkster, Dearborn Heights and Redford Township, had been held since their arrest on misdemeanor charges April 30. Defense attorney Nabih Ayad, who has called the situation racial profiling because the teens are African American, said the youths were unable to afford the $25,000.

On Tuesday, Khalil reduced bail to amounts ranging from personal recognizance to $500. However, a request to withdraw guilty pleas to disturbing the peace entered earlier by some of the teens was rejected by the judge.

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Man Who Blackmailed Lettermen Arrested

2010-05-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

A US television producer has been sentenced to six months in jail for blackmailing the American chat show host David Letterman for his sexual affairs. Robert Halderman was a former CBS employee. He pleaded guilty in March and was given 1,000 hours of community service.

Halderman had demanded $2m from Letterman last year for not exposing sexual relationship he had with female members of the staff. David Letterman has admitted the alleged affairs. He had tried to extort the $2m payment from Letterman after reading about his ex-girlfriend’s diary.

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Grand Jury Indicts N.M. Bounty Hunter

2010-05-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

Carlsbad, N.M., bounty hunter Jarrod Neal Flaming, 41, was indicted for murder Thursday.

Flaming, 41, also was indicted by a Hale County grand jury for execution of capias or arrest warrant and unauthorized contract with bail bond surety.

His partner, Morgan E. Moore, 41, also of Carlsbad, was indicted for execution of capias or arrest warrant and unauthorized contract with bail bond surety.

Police said on Feb. 9, 2010, Moore, an employee of Bad Dog Bail Bonds Inc., of which Flaming is president and CEO, knocked on the door of an apartment at Central Apartments, 910 W. 28th, just before 8:30 p.m. and was allowed in by the resident.

When Moore attempted to take 31-year-old Derek Graves into custody, he reportedly jumped out the kitchen window where Flaming was waiting, police said. Graves then fled on 29th Street and into the backyard of a residence at 1111 W. 29th where he was found by officers with one gunshot wound from a 9mm handgun.

Graves, who was living in Amarillo but temporarily staying in Plainview with family, was wanted on a Potter County warrant of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

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Italian Police Arrest Top Mafia Fugitive

2010-04-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

Italian police have arrested the head of a powerful Calabrian mafia clan who was listed among the country's 30 most dangerous fugitives.

Giovanni Tegano, on the run since 1993 and believed to be a high-profile member of the feared 'Ndrangheta crime syndicate, was arrested near the southern city of Reggio Calabria late on Monday.

"His capture is the hardest blow that we could inflict today to the 'Ndrangheta as he was the number one Calabrian fugitive," Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said.

Highlighting the hurdles authorities face in their fight against the mafia, more than 100 of Tegano's supporters blocked a street outside a police station in Reggio Calabria on Tuesday to cheer the 70-year old as he was escorted by police officers into a waiting car to be driven to prison.

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Bail Denied for Hotel 'Slay' Mom

2010-04-23T10:23:00.000-07:00

It's more time in a psych jail for millionaire pharmaceutical exec Gigi Jordan -- who's awaiting trial on murder charges for allegedly feeding her son a fatal dose of RX drugs at the opulent Peninsula Hotel in Midtown.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Charles Solomon this morning denied Jordan's application to be freed to her Upper West Side townhouse on $5 million bail.

"In the Court's opinion, the risk of defendant's flight is extremely high," Solomon wrote, noting that the evidence against Jordan is "overwhelming," that the crime charged is "heinous," and that the prison sentence faced is "considerable."

"Defendant is charged with committing one of the most heinous crimes imaginable, the murder of her own child, an eight-year-old boy who was autistic and aparently incapable of speaking.

"While a person charged with intentional murder is eligible to be released on bail, the nature of the charge is nevertheless a factor for the court to consider," he wrote.

Jordan, 49, appeared shattered by the decision -- her expression set in a stoney frown as she sat in a gray correction uniform at the defense table.

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Actress Heather Locklear Arrested for Hit and Run

2010-04-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

Heather Locklear was arrested for hit-and-run last Saturday, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ at around 4 AM, someone heard a crash near North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village, CA.

The person who heard the crash didn't call the Ventura County Sheriff's Department until 7:48 PM that night. Deputies went out to the area and found a knocked over "no parking" sign and obvious signs of a car that went up the curb, striking the sign.

Deputies confirmed through investigation that the car in question was Locklear's black BMW. The collision was very close to Locklear's home.

Deputies then went to Locklear's home, saw damage to the BMW that was consistent with the collision, and arrested her for hit-and-run.

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Proposed law could increase bondsman revenue

2010-04-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

LEE COUNTY: A program that could save you money and cut overcrowding in jails is in jeopardy. The program is called Pretrial Release. It allows non-violent offenders to stay out of jail while waiting for their court dates. And one group stands to gain greatly if the program goes away.

Each inmate processed, finger-printed, and fed at Lee County's Detention Center costs taxpayers $82 a day. That's nearly $5-million a month to care for about 2,000 inmates.

Court administrators say a program called Pretrial Release prevents that cost from increasing.

"It does have that great benefit to it. If you're finding people who are safe to be out of the jail, who meet the criteria set forth, it works out very well in terms of saving money," says Sheila Mann, spokeswoman with the 20th Judicial Circuit.

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Danny Glover Arrested at Demo Against France's Sodexo

2010-04-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

US actor Danny Glover and 11 others were arrested Friday at a protest outside the US headquarters of French company Sodexo, which workers accuse of union-bashing and poor working conditions.

Glover was taken away in handcuffs along with the outgoing head of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Andy Stern, former Sodexo canteen cashier Terry Shelley and several others, after crossing a police line outside the US offices of the food services firm.

The action brought together hourly-paid workers, students, and even union representatives from Britain and France who sought to show support for US workers like Shelley, who said she was fired after becoming active in a trade union.

"We're here today to say no more to deplorable pay and working conditions," Glover told the crowd of around 300 as they shouted "No Justice, No Pizza", a reference to cafeteria workers who claim they are underpaid and receive few benefits from Sodexo.

"This is a global corporation with global responsibility and we are going to hold them accountable to that responsibility," said Glover, who has starred in movies including "2012" and "Escape from Alcatraz."

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Another Warrant Issued For No-Show Quaids

2010-04-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

Actor Randy Quaid and his wife are in trouble with the law again after failing to show up for a court date in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Monday.

Arrest warrants have again been issued for the couple in their ongoing legal battle over an unpaid hotel bill.

The couple is accused of burglary and defrauding an innkeeper.

The Quaids have had a number of warrants issued for their arrest over past court no-shows -- each one was later quashed.

The couple is charged with failing to settle a $10,000 bill after staying at the luxury San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara in September.

The pair ignored five orders to appear in court last year before pleading not guilty to all charges in December, and the husband and wife were each released on $40,000 bail.

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Police Union's Hiring of Former Bail Bondsman Causes Furor

2010-04-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

The Austin police union has hired as a consultant a former bail bondsman who records show once owed the county more than $1 million in bonds from dozens of clients who failed to return to court.

Charles Kent Olson, 52, paid part of his bill to the county but declared bankruptcy in 2004 when officials tried to collect the remaining balance, according to records. He said he also voluntarily surrendered his license to work as a bondsman.

The hiring of Olson by the Austin Police Association, one of the most powerful organizations in local politics, has created a furor among officers in recent days after the American-Statesman began asking about his employment.

A board member resigned in protest Thursday, and this week the union's president sent an e-mail to the 1,600 members in which he accused two unnamed officers of "sneaking around to the media" to discuss their concerns.

Sgt. Wayne Vincent said in the e-mail that he had not attempted to conceal Olson's hiring but that "some business is best left done in a discreet manner."

"Whatever the reason, we are not going to be deterred, nor run from this latest attempt to embarrass us," Vincent wrote.

He did not name Olson in the e-mail.

The hiring exposes acrimony in what has been a cohesive political force, playing a major role in Austin City Council and mayoral elections and garnering pay raises for members in years when other city workers got no pay increases.

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Bondsmen Face Charges Of Impersonating Cops

2010-04-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

Women Claim Bondsmen Terrorized Them

Two women said they were terrorized and thought a couple of men coming after them were police officers.

One man was arrested, and authorities said they're looking for another man.

Detectives said a couple of bail bondsmen, who are supposed to bring people in if they skip their court dates, went over the top when they went looking for clients who broke the rules.

Police said the bondsmen led people to believe they had more power than the law allows.

A 22-year-old woman was so scared that she asked not to have her identity revealed.

"I was more frightened than upset," the woman said.

Major Lanier is accused of grabbing the woman from her job and forcing her into a car for hours. She had signed for a bail bond for a friend, and when the bondsman went looking for him, police said they illegally used her to try to locate her friend.

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Mailbox-Bomb Suspect Arrested in Texas

2010-04-09T09:27:00.000-07:00

People in East Texas are breathing a bit easier today after authorities announced the arrest of a suspect accused of possession of a pipe bomb.

Federal authorities will detail their case against Larry Gene North of Henderson today, the Associated Press reports.

An indictment filed in federal court mentions only one case of possessing a bomb March 23 -- the same day an apparent pipe bomb was found in a mailbox in a small town near Tyler.

At least 16 explosive devices or lookalikes have turned up in East Texas mailboxes. None has blown up and no one has been injured, the AP says.

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Bail set for Kiel basketball coach accused of sexual contact with students

2010-04-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

MANITOWOC — Bail has been set at $100,000 for a 32-year-old former teacher and girls basketball coach at Kiel High School for allegedly having sexual contact with multiple female students, ordered Wednesday by Manitowoc County Circuit Court Commissioner Raymond Greig.

Ryan Zellner allegedly used his position of authority at the school to “manipulate and intimidate” students, primarily girls younger than 16, said Kiel Police Chief David Funkhouser.

Funkhouser said police believe Zellner’s behavior was pre-meditated and predatory based on significant amounts of evidence brought forth from several

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Atlanta Bail Bondsman Jailed for Robbery

2010-04-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

A local bail bondsman was behind bars Monday night and denied bond. Robert Brewer, who runs his own ankle monitoring company, is now charged with armed robbery.

"As he was walking around, he was bringing the gun up like this," said the alleged victim Demetrius Jackson.

Jackson said he and his friends were held at gunpoint outside Lenox Square Mall two weeks ago. Jackson said he screamed and started running.

"Since I did know he had a gun, I was afraid he was going to shoot me in my back. So I hid under a car," recalled Jackson.

Police said the man with the gun was local bail bondsman Robbie Brewer. According to officials at the Fulton County jail, Brewer runs the Atlanta Ankle Monitoring company. Back in November, in an interview with FOX 5, Brewer said his company uses bracelets to keep accused criminals on house arrest.

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