Inside the Real World of a Bounty Hunter

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.

Read more here.

Grand Jury Indicts N.M. Bounty Hunter

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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Bounty Hunter Faces Murder Charge

Plainview police revealed this afternoon that the bounty hunter accused of murder did not have the proper licenses needed to take a bond jumper into custody.

Jarrod Neal Flaming, 41, of Carlsbad, N.M., remained in custody at the Hale County jail this morning on a $75,000 bond.

Flaming was charged with murder after shooting 31-year-old Derek Graves in the 1100 block of West 29th Street on Tuesday night.

Capt. Manuel Balderas of the Plainview Police Department said Flaming and another man were attempting to serve a Potter County warrant of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance to Graves at Central Apartments, 910 W. 28th.

Flaming reportedly is president and CEO of BadDog BailBonds Inc. in Carlsbad.

Read more here

Charges Dropped Against Bondsman

A bail bondsman once called “a threat to the administration of justice” by a prosecutor has been cleared of wrongdoing in a case his lawyer said amounted to a “media circus.”

Ryan M. Holmes, 46, owner of Holmes Brothers Bail Bonds, was accused of forcing a customer to give him thousands of dollars. He was arrested in front of TV news crews last August at the Spokane County Courthouse.

But charges against Holmes and his bounty hunter, Brian D. Steenhard, 38, were dismissed this week after the prosecutor realized they’d done nothing criminal.

Read more here.

10 Great Cars for 10 Different Jobs

Job: Bounty hunter
Do you think of Labor Day more as the ceremonial end of summer or the official beginning of football season? As the start of yet another school year or just a welcome three-day weekend? Well, the U.S. Department of Labor sees it as a "yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country." So, in the spirit of putting some of the labor back into Labor Day, we put together a list of 10 cars for 10 jobs.

Car: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
Whether the chase takes you over rocks, across a desert or just up and down a few curbs, the all-new 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor's standout suspension will help you get your man (or woman). The menacing looks won't hurt, either.

 Read more here.

Bounty Hunters Are Not Above the Law

Two Mississippi bounty hunters blamed for a awakening a Sikeston couple in the middle of the night pleaded not guilty to felony charges against them in a Scott County court Wednesday.

Investigators say they were operating without a Missouri license.

Read more here.

Bondsman Arrested for Kicking in Wrong Door

Police say a bail bondsman in Colorado Springs kicked in the wrong door looking for two suspects.

It happened at the Pinion Apartments on the east side of the Springs; police were called after the door was kicked in. Allegedly, the bondsman, Larry Myles, an agent with It's A Bond Thing, entered the apartment to arrest two people.

Read more here.

Agents Bring Fugitives to Justice

Dale Kress never goes hunting without the necessary equipment: a gun, a flashlight, pepper spray and a bulletproof vest.
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Kress, 56, of Port Huron is what’s known as a fugitive-recovery specialist or a bail-enforcement officer. He said those names tend to give a more professional image than the popular term does.

“A lot of us don’t like to be called bounty hunters,” Kress said.

People familiar with A&E’s hit reality TV show “Dog the Bounty Hunter” understand the basic concept of the job: When someone skips bail, the bail bondsman stands to lose a large amount of money to the court and has the option of hiring somebody to find the fugitive. The bounty hunter gets an arrest warrant, a photo of the fugitive and some relevant information with which to start their search.

Read more at TheTimesHerald.com

Attorney General Drops Charges Against Jersey Bounty Hunter

Charges of witness tampering and terroristic threats against bounty hunter Adel Mikhaeil were dismissed late yesterday afternoon, his lawyer said this morning.

The state Attorney General's Office dismissed without prejudice two charges against Mikhaeil, 43, which means the state can recharge the Jersey City man in the future. A state spokesperson could not be immediately reached for the reason why the charges were dismissed.

"It's safe to say that Mr. Mikhaeil is happy about it," Robert Gold, Mikhaeil's attorney, said of the dismissal.

Read the rest of the story at NJ.com.

A New Type of Bounty Hunter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler: Fugitive and Bounty Hunter?

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

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

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

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

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

Bounty-Hunting Pastor Helps Put People On the Right Path

Dr. Butch Varner is many things to many people.

He may be a fugitive’s worst nightmare, a preacher of the good news for the sin-sick soul or a trumpeter who completes a worship band. He’s also a husband, father, military veteran and man of letters.

“We don’t want to be what people think of as a stereotype religious ministry,” said Mr. Varner, the pastor of Hamilton Pointe Church in Hixson. “Being a bounty hunter/pastor is iconoclastic. We enjoy that. That makes us more approachable.”

Today, some words from the Chattanooga man who has combined two unlikely professions.

More News About Wargod

Three of the wannabe bounty hunters who allegedly stormed a home for the elderly looking for a fugitive said on Friday that they had been duped by the ringleaders of their outfit.

The five-person fugitive recovery agency, Wargod Inc., operated illegally — without certification by a court system or being employed by a bail bondsman — according to police.

Professional bondsmen, who post bail for defendants, must obtain their licenses from the state Insurance Department and register with their local district attorney. They also must maintain a phone number and operate an office in each county in which they work, according to Insurance Department regulations.

Wargod's alleged leaders, Lawrence Colon, 39, and Kelly Hefferon, 40, whose home on Route 715 in Jackson Township was the outfit's base of operations, purportedly convinced the rest of their team members — and one of their parents — that the firm was legitimate.

"They even told me they had all those papers from the court and the state," Lucienne Normil, mother of Wargod member Darryl Normil, 21, said Friday outside District Judge Debby York's office.

"Those three are innocent," she said, referring to her son and to Anthony Laino and James Farrell, both 35.

Normil waived his right to a preliminary hearing. He faces charges that he impersonated a public servant, which is a misdemeanor, and summary charges for improperly using emergency lights and signals on his Ford Focus. His bail was reduced from $100,000 to $10,000.

He also stands accused of a felony charge for possessing a firearm. Already convicted of a felony, he is barred from having weapons.

Normil had previously been sentenced to a year's probation for theft and receiving stolen property. About six months later, he pleaded guilty to using another person's credit card without authorization.

Wargod initially attracted police attention after Hefferon's neighbors complained repeatedly about shots being fired in her back yard and sirens sounding until after midnight.

On Sept. 26, state police went to the house after another complaint from neighbors. Unbeknownst to police, Wargod was out hunting for a wanted criminal.

According to police, Wargod's search took them to West Gate apartments, a home for the elderly. They ran up and down the halls and tried to get into an apartment, which prompted a 911 call.

Wargod's appearance — black military fatigues, assault vests with empty holsters, badges, cans of mace and handcuffs — also prompted an emergency phone call in downtown Stroudsburg.

State police met with the members of Wargod once they returned to Hefferon's house that night. Officials later ran a background check and discovered that the company was not properly licensed and that two of its members, Normil and Colon, were felons.

"There were some things that should've been done that were not done," a pained Anthony Laino, 35, told reporters as he was led out of York's courtroom.

"I just made the mistake of being with the wrong crowd," Laino said before state police drove him away. "I just want to forget about this."

Charged with the misdemeanor impersonation charge, Laino had his bail reduced to $5,000. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing and proceeded straight to trial.

On his way out of the courtroom in police custody, Farrell said that Colon had duped him.

"He had a good line," said Farrell, who also waived his right to a preliminary hearing. "He said it was legal."

Farrell apologized to police and said he would no longer attempt to be a bounty hunter. "Next time, I'll let them do it," he said.

Accused of the misdemeanor impersonation, Farrell's bail was reduced to $1,000.

All three — Laino, Normil and Farrell — are cooperating with the District Attorney's office, according to Assistant D.A., Colleen Mancuso.

But she did not believe ignorance excused their actions.

"They knew and should have known because of their backgrounds that this could not be legitimate," Mancuso said. "What was their thought process? They could've been killed."

Colon and Hefferon, who did not comment when separately leaving York's courtroom, allegedly also made other efforts to convince their team that Wargod was for real. They administered exams and essays and levied $20 fines on team members if they were late posting bonds, according to Tom Sundmaker, Normil's lawyer.

Neighbors also told a reporter that they occasionally had seen the Wargod staffers armed, clad in black and marching in formation up and down Jackson View Road.

Colon and Hefferon both face impersonation misdemeanor charges. A felon, Colon also faces the firearms rap.

Hefferon also has been issued summary charges for improperly using emergency lights and signals.

They did not have lawyers at the preliminary hearing. Their hearings were rescheduled for Friday.

Bounty Hunters To Head Caylee Search

EquuSearch will be in Central Florida next month along with bounty hunter Leonard Padilla.

Padilla and a group of other bounty hunters will be trained to be team leaders in the search for the 3-year-old.

Padilla bonded Caylee's mother, Casey, out of jail when she was charged with child neglect.

Casey Anthony is back in jail charged with Caylee's murder, Local 6 reported.

EquuSearch officials said they plan to sit down with law enforcement and go over any tips and sightings that have surfaced before the Nov. 7 search begins.

Meanwhile, Casey Anthony pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that she killed her daughter.

Casey Anthony's written plea came three days after a grand jury indicted her on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter and four counts of lying to investigators about the disappearance of her daughter, Caylee.

Caylee has not been seen since June but wasn't reported missing until a month later. The child's grandmother, Cindy Anthony, first called authorities in July to say that she hadn't seen Caylee for a month and that her daughter's car smelled like death.

Casey Anthony, 22, told authorities that she had left her daughter with a baby sitter in June, and that the two were gone when she returned from work. She said she spent the next month trying to find her daughter and didn't call authorities because she was scared.

Investigators immediately started poking holes in her story. The apartment where Casey Anthony said she had left her daughter had been vacant for months, they said. They said she also lied when she told them she had been working at an area theme park as an event planner.

Her attorney, Jose Baez, didn't immediately return phone and e-mail messages Friday. Shortly before the indictment was issued Tuesday, he said he believed his client would be vindicated.

Caylee On Cover Of People Magazine

For the second time in the last few months, People magazine has decided to put Caylee Anthony on its cover.

The issue, which hit newsstands on Friday with the cover headline "A Mom's Web Of Lies," features a big picture of the 3-year-old with a smaller image of her mother.

Unlike the first story People wrote regarding Caylee, the Anthony family was not interviewed.

Cindy Anthony said she felt duped by People after the first article was released.

"We did not in any way mislead anybody about what the story was, which is a story about this missing toddler," said Betsy Gleick of People.

The current story features a lengthy article that recaps the entire story with recently released photos of Casey Anthony allegedly using stolen checks to purchase items.

The story says the family continues to search for Caylee, and a private investigator is following a tip of a possible Caylee sighting two weeks ago, where someone took a grainy pic of a child who looked like the missing girl.

The current story went to press before murder charges were issued against Casey Anthony.

Meanwhile, Casey Anthony is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday, Oct. 28 in her murder case. On Nov. 5, pretrial proceedings are set for her child neglect and fraud cases.

Baez: Caylee Is Alive

The spokesman for an attorney representing Casey Anthony said Thursday that they believe the child is alive, and that he never told a cable television network the girl was dead.

Caylee's body has not been found in four months of searches, but her family has maintained she is alive.

"That is our belief," spokesman Todd Black said Thursday. "It's preposterous to report anything else."

The child's mother, Casey Anthony, was indicted Tuesday on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated abuse of a child, aggravated manslaughter and four counts of lying to investigators. Her attorneys have said she is innocent.

Black was interviewed by CNN Headline News on Tuesday. A transcript released by the network showed Black said "this is a very serious case involving not just the loss of the life of this little girl, but the loss of whatever is going to happen with Casey Anthony."

Jose Baez, Anthony's lawyer, held a news conference on Thursday to discuss the issue.

"We believe Caylee is alive," Baez said. "To take that out of context is a disservice to the Anthonys and the child."

The network stood by its interview.

"This was a live interview, and it is what he said," said Janine Iamunno, a Headline News spokeswoman.

Anthony told authorities that she had left her daughter with a baby sitter in June, and that when she returned after work, the two were gone.

Anthony said she spent the next month trying to find her daughter on her own and didn't call authorities out of fear. The child's grandmother called authorities and said her daughter's car "smelled like death."

But investigators said the apartment where the baby sitter supposedly lived had been vacant for months and that Anthony lied about her job.

Earlier this week, Baez, said: "I sincerely believe that when we have finally spoken, everyone, and I mean everyone, will sit back and say, 'Now, I understand. That explains it.'"

Judge Rules On Motions

Meanwhile, Ninth Circuit Judge Stan Strickland released his order on Anthony's motion to preserve forensic evidence and to consider additional testing.

The order stated:

"Being duly advised in the premises, the defendant's motion is denied in part and granted in part.

"Specifically, the portion of the defendant's motion which seeks to halt the handling and analysis of any and all forensic evidence is denied. The court knows of no authority or logical reason why the state should be prevented, even temporarily, from further analysis of relevant evidence.

"The defendant's request to be notified in advance regarding any further testing is granted. Following reasonable notice by the state the defendant may have an expert present to view any further scientific testing performed by the state. Should the defendant choose to have an expert present at any further testing, the expert's presence is merely to view and document the means and manner of testing. The right for a defense expert to be present at any further testing does not include the right to interfere with, thwart, or even comment on the testing procedures as they occur. The state shall make every effort to retain a large enough sample of any item tested so that the defense expert may have an opportunity to conduct their own test on same. Reliability and admissibility of any test performed by either party is not the subject of this motion or order."

Vehicle Swap Before Arrest

On Tuesday, Cindy Anthony, the mother of Casey Anthony, was videotaped scolding a TV news van and erratically cutting across traffic before her daughter was secretly transferred to a vehicle and later arrested during a wild post-indictment ride in Orlando streets.

A grand jury issued a sealed indictment charging Casey Anthony with first-degree murder in the death of daughter Caylee, even though the child's body has not been found during a four-month search.

The grand jury also charged Anthony with aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter and four counts of lying to investigators about Caylee's disappearance.

After the indictment was delivered, Casey Anthony and her mother left attorney Jose Baez's office in Kissimmee and began to drive around Orlando at about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Cindy Anthony was videotaped cutting across two lanes of traffic in an apparent attempt to lose several television crews following behind.

Anthony then cut across a shopping center and drove through parking lots.

Sky 6 showed Cindy Anthony eventually jumping out of the vehicle on a road and waving her finger at the driver of a television van while walking down the road.

Anthony jumped back in her SUV and drove into a no-fly zone near the Orlando International Airport and Casey Anthony switched vehicles.

"They pulled a switcharoo," a photographer yelled as the cars stopped underneath an overpass and out of view of helicopters.

A car traveling behind another sport utility vehicle then cut off a Local 6 vehicle.

Local 6 asked Baez about the incident.

"As he attempted to try to get away from them, he didn't know if someone was trying to harm Casey or what," Baez said. "At that point, finally, it turned about to be law enforcement and they in turned pulled him over and (the driver) identified himself as the bondsman."

Anthony was taken into custody by police during the stop.

Baez also said he didn't want a media circus or anyone filming Anthony being handcuffed, Local 6 reported.

A national search for Caylee continues.

Bondsman Hit With Car While On The Job Speaks

Following a story we first brought you earlier this week, A bounty hunter speaks out after he says a fleeing suspect ran him over in a truck.

Jamie Mikel says he knows that there are risks involved every time he goes to work, but he also says that he's never had someone try to get away like the man who goes by the name Pork-Chop did on Sunday. EMS workers load bounty hunter Jamie Mikel into an ambulance Sunday afternoon. This comes after Mikel says this man, Dennis Ryals, better known as Pork-Chop, ran him over at a local gas station when Mikel tried to take him into custody.

"It always works in the movies it just didn't go my way that day," Mikel says with a chuckle.

But Mikel says his encounter with Pork-Chop was no laughing matter. He says the suspect tried to take off in his truck while Mikel held onto the steering wheel.

"They said that I hit the pumps with my head and bounced off and bounced into the rear of the truck and that's when they say it ran over me," Mikel says.

And Mikel's body has the bruises to prove it. He has two staples in his head, a broken hand, a number of cuts and bruises, and you can still see the tire marks on the shirt he wore that day.

"He didn't mean to hurt me, he was trying to escape, Pork-Chop didn't mean to hurt me, but he did mean to get away from me," Mikel says.

And that's why Mikel's friends and fellow bounty hunters hit the streets looking for Pork-Chop the next day. They climbed through windows and banged on doors. And eventually DID find Pork-Chop and take him into custody.

"It was just like a block had been lifted from my chest, I was just so amazed at how fast they got him," Mikel says.

And today Mikel sits on his couch, recovering with many of the same friends who helped place his alleged attacker behind bars.

"It makes me want to cry when I think of what they've done for me, they was there for me, they know that I would be there for them as well," Mikel says.

And it turns out that Mikel does not have insurance. His fellow bounty hunters have set up a fund where people can help him at the Ace Bonding Company in East Ridge.

Ace Bonding Company

4312 Ringgold Rd. Suite 6

East Ridge, Tennessee 37412

Ryals, or Pork-Chop, is being held at the jail on no bond and court records show that he now faces an aggravated assault charge after his run-in with Mikel.

Bail Jumper: Derrick Davalos

Children in the community are at risk from an Amarillo suspect who could be selling drugs in your neighborhood.

Local bond agent, Shawn Galmor is concerned that a suspect who skipped his bail months ago is back on the streets with more drugs and the potential to hurt someone.

She is taking action action turning to the community for help looking for bail jumper Derrick Davalos. He's 22 years old 5'6 165 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Davalos is wanted for not showing up in court for drug possession charges. "It is very frustrating it's easier if they go to court it saves me time and money and saves them time and money," Galmor said.

New Law in New Jersey for Bounty Hunters

New Jersey is starting to crack down on bounty hunters who sometimes act like they're in the Wild West.

A 2006 state law that's now taking effect requires bounty hunters to be at least 25 years old and have at least five years' experience in law enforcement or as a private investigator.

New Jersey also will offer a 16-hour training course in November.

State police say some bounty-hunting schools hand out badges and certification that have no legal standing. They say one school instructed students to pepper-spray anyone who answers the door at the home of a person being sought.

In a 2005 case, two bounty hunters handcuffed a Rutherford woman and drove her 35 miles before she convinced them she was the wrong person.

Bounty Hunter Trying to Help Casey Anthony

Bondsman failed to get Casey Anthony out of jail for a second day in a row, citing issues with paper work.

The 22-year-old mother of missing toddler Caylee Marie Anthony will spend at least one more night in jail.

If bail is posted tonight, jail officials say that the soonest she could be released is tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. because of the home confinement hold.

Leonard Padilla, a California bounty hunter, has been in Orlando since Sunday, trying to get Anthony out of jail.

She hasn't had any visitors outside of her legal team and has not made any phone calls, according to jail records.

Rob Dick, another bounty hunter working with Leonard Padilla, said that they are working toward Anthony's release today and it could come as soon as this afternoon. Bondsman Tony Padilla is working on paperwork this morning and finishing "dotting the i's and crossing the t's," Dick said.

Bondsman Gets Suspect With a Little Help

A Blount County bounty hunter got his man Monday night, but not until after Oak Ridge police were contacted and an unidentified citizen provided a little help.

Oak Ridge police reports said officers were sent to the Grove Center about 6:30 p.m. Monday, after someone reported shots being fired in the shopping center.

When officers arrived, they found a Blount County bail bondsman armed with two weapons: a handgun and a shotgun.

Christopher Harwell, a Blount County bondsman, told officers he was trying to apprehend a suspect and had fired a bean bag projectile at a man. He told officers the suspect was wanted on outstanding Blount County warrants.

The suspect, identified as Daniel Eric Reynolds, 24, 250 Jefferson Ave., was taken into custody after Harwell shot him at least once with the "less lethal ammunition." Reports said Reynolds was knocked to the ground, but got up and tried to run away again.

Harwell reportedly told police he followed Reynolds to Oak Ridge and fired the bean bag at him when he ran. He said he shot Reynolds once in the right side, knocking him down.

At that point, an unidentified person kept Reynolds from running until Harwell took him into custody.

Officer Karen Jenkins emptied the bounty hunter's weapons for safety and requested his papers that authorized the arrest.

Reports said Harwell's shotgun was loaded with two 12-gauge slugs and one 12-gauge buckshot shell, in addition to the bean bag ammo.

Jenkins reported that Harwell had the proper paperwork to apprehend Reynolds, but did not have papers pertaining to his bonding status, his weapon-carry permit, and his use of "less lethal" implements.

The bounty hunter told Jenkins he would have that paperwork faxed to the police department.

The officer's report indicates the incident won't be closed until the bondsman's paperwork has been received and she reviews the incident with the district attorney general's office.

Records do not indicate the charges Reynolds faces in Blount County. He has a criminal history in Anderson County and ended a prison sentence in August 2007.

71 Year-old Hairdresser by Day, Bounty Hunter by Night

After selling his Buckhead beauty school and most of his Atlanta hair salons, Refugio "Fugi" Escobedo could have hung up the apron.

Instead, he strapped on a bulletproof vest.

Now, at 71, the Marietta man leads a rare double life. He's a hair stylist. And a bounty hunter.

Think Vidal Sassoon meets Duane "Dog" Chapman. Only unlike Chapman — reality TV's blond bounty hunter — Escobedo's long, flowing hair is black. And Escobedo doesn't have an entire team backing him up. A self-defense expert, he often works alone.

"A lot of people, when they look at me, they expect an old man barely creeping along," he says. "That's not the issue here. What I mean is, I kick (expletive)."

On a recent morning, Escobedo pulls something out of his apron as he does highlights inside Fugi Hair, the Cobb County salon that bears his nickname. Then, with the flick of a wrist, Escobedo exposes a blade.

"You carry a knife?" says longtime customer Charlotte Gattis, a row of tinfoil glistening in her hair.

"Oh, yeah," Escobedo says. "I carry a lot of knives."

Gattis' eyes bulge. "I'm letting this man do my hair?"

Thousands have.

Escobedo first wielded clippers more than 50 years ago, in the Navy. He charged $2 for cuts that met military standards but had a little more style.

After serving in Korea, he returned to his native Texas and became one of the few men to attend beauty school — on the GI Bill. Escobedo was hooked from the moment he peered into that Houston beauty college. "I saw 200 or 300 women in this place," he says. "I said, 'I think I'm going to beauty school — to pick up chicks.' "

He picked up a career, too.

He styled hair in Texas, then Puerto Rico, where he earned a black belt in karate. Escobedo, who is now divorced, moved with his wife to Atlanta in 1974. They opened a salon on Peachtree Street, where clients could see their hair fibers under a microscope. It was called "Fugi and the Hair Doctor."

Eventually, Escobedo operated five metro Atlanta salons as well as a massage and beauty school at Lindbergh Plaza called Capelli Learning Center.

Escobedo, whose martial arts training expanded to muay thai, aikido and other disciplines, began teaching classes in self-defense to police officers and groups such as the Georgia Commission on Women. But when asked how he knew his tactics worked, Escobedo found he lacked street cred. So he got certified as a private investigator and took courses in bail recovery. Soon the master cosmetologist was also combing the streets. No one seemed to care that he is certified by Clairol and gets a thank-you in the book "Haircoloring in Plain English."

"He's in better shape than most people half his age," said Lewis Grady, risk loss prevention manager at James Bond Inc., a Cartersville firm where Escobedo does contract work. "He's a real asset."

A second-generation Mexican-American, Escobedo found his language skills in great demand, too. When Spanish speakers don't show up for court, Escobedo is often able to figure out where they hang out. "If the guy used to date a girl," he says, "that's great because she hates him and she'll tell me everything."

But bounty hunting, he says, isn't as glamorous as it is portrayed on TV. "It's a job that can get you killed," he says. "I deal with a lot of gang-bangers."

Back at the hair salon, Escobedo pulls a metal clip from his sleeve and slides it, ever so gently, into Gattis' hair. He's not giving her any old highlights. "We're doing marvelights," he explains. "They're marvelous." Escobedo, who studies Zen Buddhism, says his professions are like yin and yang. There's balance in holding a blow-dryer with two barrels, then packing a shotgun with one.

"I couldn't do the bail recovery thing 100 percent," he says, looking into a mirror covered with his collection of pink-, purple- and yellow–haired trolls. "It messes with your head."

Escobedo says he's yet to encounter one of his salon clients during his other line of work. Nobody, he says, moves in both those circles.

Well, almost nobody.


FUGI, HAIR STYLIST:

Education: graduate, Modern Beauty College in Houston; chemistry for cosmetologists diploma, Atlanta Junior College; expert certificate, Clairol Institute of Haircoloring.

Hair: Down

Equipment: Apron (black), thinning scissors, blending scissors, chucking scissors, razors, clippers, double-barrel 2000-watt Italian blow-dryer, curling irons, aluminum foil, hair tint, electric rollers, flatirons, curling irons, rattail comb, tapered barbering comb, clipper comb, cutting comb.

Philosophy: "If you work with your hands, you're a laborer. If you work with your hands and your mind, you're a technician. If you work with your hands, your mind and your heart, you're an artist."

FUGI, BOUNTY HUNTER:

Education: Private investigation certificate, Chattahoochee Technical College; member, International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association; dozens of courses, including "Speedcuffing," "Tactical Jaw & Limb Control" and "Street Weapon Defense."

Hair: Up

Equipment: Hat (black), metal detector, pepper spray, 40-caliber Glock, baby Glock, three knives (minimum), handcuffs (two pairs), bulletproof vest, leg irons, Remington 870 shotgun, flashlight, walkie-talkie.

Philosophy: "I'm a pacifist — with a propensity for violence." Also: "Sometimes it's chicken. Sometimes it's feathers."