Proceeds from Victim’s Fundraiser Pays Suspect’s Bail

18 year-old Mallory Ewart was arrested November 20 after allegations surfaced that the money raised at a fundraiser organized by Ewart to benefit the family of Gordon Patterson, a victim of a hit-and-run accident, actually went to provide bail to Antonio Cellestine, who is suspected of killing Patterson in the accident. Ewart had organized a car wash at a restaurant across the street from Patterson’s church, and many of the people who dontated to the fundraiser were members of that congregation. Patterson was a popular high school teacher... Read more

NJ Police Arrest Unlicensed Recovery Agent

Joseph Chiusano called the cops on November 10, requesting assistance finding a man wanted on warrant. After an unsuccessful search, Chiusano told the officer who answered the call for assistance that he was going home for the night. Chiusano apparently changed his mine, however, and later the police received a different type of call - this time from the owner of a house that had it’s front door kicked in by Chiusano still searching for the suspect. Chiusano turned himself in to Middletown (NJ) police later that morning. After he was released... Read more

College Students Arrested for Lack of Tip

Two Pennsylvania college students were arrested after refusing to pay a mandatory tip at LeHigh Pub. The two students, Leslie Pope and John Wagner, said the lack of service prompted them to not pay the 18% gratuity that was automatically added to their bill due to the size of their party. Pope and Wagner claimed they waited an hour for their food and had to approach the bar themselves for napkins, silverware and refills. Pope and Wagner pleaded not guilty and are awaiting a summary trial. Read the complete story here.  Read More →

GAPB 2009 Fall Conference

The Georgia Assocation of Professional Bondsmen will hold their 2009 Fall Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Savannah, Georgia. The conference will being on November 17 and run through November 19. For more information, visit the GAPB.  Read More →

Government to Expand Efforts Against International Crime

The US plans on cracking down on international crime. The Justice Department is stepping up efforts to combat international organized crime, which, according to Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey, poses a greater threat to the United States in many respects than did the traditional Mafia.  The Justice Department has drafted a new strategy to combat international organized crime, a summary of which was released in April. In a speech that day at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington [D.C.] think tank, the Attorney General... Read more

Illinois Town Wants Terrorists to Stay

Residents of Thomson, Illinois, home of Thomson Correctional Center, do not object to the possibility of accused terrorists formerly housed at Guatanamo Bay being moved to their town, despite the objections of other Illinois lawmakers. Instead, the town sees the potential move as an opportunity to revive the small town where unemployment hovers above 10%. The proposed changes to the prison would create hundreds of jobs in the town. Some Illinois lawmakers fear turning Thomson Correctional Center into a high-security federal prison to host terrorists... Read more

CO Burglar Caught With His Pants Down

A Golden, Colorado homeowner received quite the shock when he came home to an unknown car in his garage and several misplaced possessions. After picking up his pistol, the homeowner found an unwanted visitor - a 24 year-old man wearing nothing but the homeowner’s boxer shorts. Authorities say the intruder, Timothy Gonzalez, spent several hours at the homeowner’s house earlier in the day showering, doing laundry and storing groceries in the refrigerator. When realtors stopped by to show the house which was for sale, Gonzalez pretended... Read more

Bounty Hunters in South Carolina Work on Limited Time

In South Carolina, bounty hunters and bondsmen have 90 days to find fugitives who have skipped a court date. After this time, the bondsmen responsible for the bond need to pay the full amount of the bond. For this reason, immediately after a defendant skips a court date, recovery agents seek out the person, often by looking at last known addresses and asking family and friends of the defendant where the fugitive must be. In many cases, recovery agents wear bullet proof vests and carry non-lethal weapons, such as tasers or other gear. In many cases,... Read more

Mexico Extraditing More People to the US

Mexico has reached a new record of 100 extraditions of suspected to the US this year. In the 1990s, Mexico became reluctant to send fugitives back to the US, and some experts are calling the new numbers a sign of changes and new cooperation between the two countries. In 2008, 95 suspects where sent back to the US from Mexico. Before the end of the year, the number of extraditions may well be over 100. Leopoldo Velarde Ortiz is the deputy attorney general in Mexico who is in charge of extraditions. He notes that Mexico is more willing to allow extraditions... Read more

Bondsmen Charged in Fake Agent Scandal

A bizarre case has been dominating the news media for a few days. Police claim that three persons impersonated drug agents in order to arrest a woman who allegedly skipped her day in court. The three people alledgedly accosted the wrong woman, sexually assaulted her and strip searched her before handing her over to J.C. Mullins Jr., a bondsman with Abingdon Bail Bonds. Mullins took the woman to jail. Police eventually arrested Mullins for obstruction of justice because the bondsman refused to cooperate with police when questioned about the three... Read more

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