Monday, March 19, 2007

Business is good for E. Wash bondsmen

Business is good for E. Wash bondsmen: "Tim Jewett likes his job as a bail bondsman, but wouldn't be in the same business in cities such as Miami, Detroit or Los Angeles.

'Too many hardened criminals in those places,' Jewett told The Lewiston Tribune. 'We're not in a high-crime area. I meet people from all walks of life here. Most are ordinary people doing dumb things.'

Jewett, 67, runs his business out of his home in Clarkston, and has three other bondsmen working for him.

'I don't have a lot of bail jumping,' he said. 'I get plenty of co-signers and collateral. I do a lot of credit card business. I just wrote a $10,000 bond on an Asotin County assault charge, and I had the woman out in 45 minutes or less.'

He said he charges a $35 fee plus 10 percent of the bond amount. If a defendant skips bail, Jewett could end up forfeiting the full bond."

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