Bail Blotter: Closure of Detention and Corrections Facility Affects Bondsmen

• July 30, 2012
• by AboutBail Staff
• In the News

Each week AboutBail combs the web for the latest and most interesting industry news stories to bring you the Weekly Bail Blotter.

Bondsmen Worried About Moving Inmates

NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV – Starting at the beginning of this month, the North Las Vegas Detention and Corrections facility has been closed and inmates have been moved to other facilities. Some Nevada bondsmen in the area have reported a drop in business as a result. Many of the inmates have been moved to the City of Las Vegas Detention and Enforcement facility, and bondsmen close to the old facility have stated that their business has declined as inmates turn to bondsmen located closer to downtown. In addition, as a result of the move some bondsmen have reported delays and disorganization as they try to work with clients.

To read the full article, click here.

Bondsmen Advertising

SALISBURY, MD – According to local Maryland bondsmen, advertising in the city can cost thousands of dollars a year, and the name and number of a business is one of the most important marketing tools. When first-time offenders are booked in jail, they may not know much about the bail bond businesses and they may choose a bondsman from a list provided by the jail based solely on the company name. John Delaney of Eastern Shore Bail Bonds and Back on the Block Bail Bonds says that he spent $60,000 in 2012 alone on promotional materials such as key chains, t-shirts, pens, and other items emblazoned with the company name and logo. He says that these items are needed because competition is so strong in the area.

To read the full article, click here.

New York Bail Rule

NEW YORK, NY – A new law will soon allow some charities to be authorized by the Department of Financial Services to post bail of up to $2000 for indigent defendants involved in non-violent misdemeanor cases. The bail will be non-profit and the charities will not be able to charge for the service. According to Bronx State Senator Gustavo Rivera, the bill will help those who do not have money for bail or a New York bondsman. He says that currently many people plead guilty to minor charges even if they are innocent because they do not want to be sent to Rikers Island. According to statistics, in 2010, 40% of bails were $1000 or less but only 12% of people were able to post bail. One possible concern with the new law is that charities may not have the resources or know-how to ensure that defendants show up for their court dates – which is the aim of the bail system. The new law will take effect in three months.

To read the full article, click here.

Bondsman Fires Shots at Fugitive

PHOENIX, AZ – An unnamed Arizona bondsman allegedly fired shots in the parking lot of an office building this week while pursuing a fugitive. The bondsman allegedly felt threatened and therefore fired at the fugitive’s car. The fugitive, Thomas Morgan, had been arrested after posing as an attorney to commit fraud. Previously, Morgan has attempted to run down bondsmen trying to apprehend him with his SUV. No charges have been filed against the bondsman in this case. 

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Bondsman and Defendant in Altercation

YAKIMA, WA – Scott E. Eytchison, a felon with a lengthy rap sheet, has been sentenced to over four years after injuring a Washington bondsman. Scott Brooker, a bondsman at All Pro was injured during an altercation with Eytchison at a motel. Eytchison was allegedly skipping bail and Brooker was trying to apprehend him when Eytchison hit Brooker with a car before speeding off. 

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Groups Wants to Push Bondsmen and Other Businesses Out of East End

CHARLESTON, WV – A group committed to urban revitalization is trying to ban businesses from Charleston’s East End.  The proposed ban would include bail bond agencies, pawnshops and exotic nightclubs. The board members of East End Main Street unanimously supported a change to the East End Urban Renewal Plan which would ban West Virginia bondsmen, check cashing services, pay-as-you-go phone retailers, storage businesses, gambling parlors, firearms retailers, and other businesses from the area. The proposed changes will need to be approved by the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority before they can be passed. 

To read the full article, click here. 

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