Posted: 12/15/2007 8:43:17 PM EDT
| I dated a girl and recently broke it off with her. Her step-father is a bail bondsman in Dawson Co. and has been making threats like how he is "working with cops against me". & how "I'm fucked and better watch out". This bondsman is also currently out on $55,000 bail for sexual assault and false imprisionment. I would like to know who bondsmen answer to. I would like to file some sort of complaint to get the harrassement to stop. Any ideas? |
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Mudgoober, Let me start by answering the "working witht he cops against me" portion of that. As an LEO, I've dealt with a few bail bondsman, and I say any LEO worth his salt will stay AWAY from these guys. Bounty Hunters/bondsman work in such a COMPLETELY GRAY area of the law, it's never good policy to mix with them if one is a professional, since those guys can do things that would land us POST certified folks in the Richard B. Russell building downtown, answering to federal jury. That being said, I can't vouch for every LEO, as I know there are plenty that are NOT worth their salt. As was said earlier, if he is out awaiting trial, speak with court personnel to see who is supervising his release, and then speak to that person. I'm sure these guys have some state regulation department they answer to, at least to some degree, so someone in that dept. might be able to help. Other than regulators and court (in this guy's case), bondsman are pretty self-contained entities, and don't answer to very many about their personal OR professional conduct... hence the reason for the occassional Steven Segal/Dog/Terminator wannabe. As for the threats, you could try to seek a temporary protective order, but they can be hard to get in some places without a history of documented problems between the two parties. The other statement you quoted could be construed as a terroristic threat. For that, I recommend you file a police reort, and then file supplementals to the report any time there is another problem. If you can get good cooperation from he court, he may get his bond revoked. If you decide to pursue the matter for new criminal charges (most likely Terroristic Threats), you should know in advance you have to have a witness who heard the threat issued, as the statute requires a third party for criminal prosecution, or a recording that can be verified(in some jurisdictions); this was put in the statute to cut down on people filing this charge against one another as a means of harrassment. |
| Bondsmen are answerable to the sheriff who can revoke their licenses. Being a bondsman is very lucrative. That's the business side on the personal/criminal side he's just a man like any other. You probably can't get him in trouble with the local law enforcement but you could sue him for a hundred different reasons. |
Doug's right, I didn't even consider the fact he has to have local license to do his work... guess that's why he is the lawyer and I'm the dumb cop! You could go that route, but if you are truly concerned there may be a buddy-buddy connection between local LEO's and this guy, take another person with you to the meeting, as witness to what is said and done... |
LOL! I called one of my clients bondsmen to tell them he had missed his last 4 court dates and I wasn't goign to continue it anymore. They said think you and I've never heard any more about it. I swear next time is that LAST continuance! |
So um... I had to go up to the Dawson County Detention Center yesterday to see some of my Probationers who are receiving accommodations from the county through this holiday season and noticed the bonding sign in the lobby. There are about four bonding companies listed and this guys name has been covered over with a piece of white paper and some tape. The company is still up but his name was covered over. [I know this guys name from an IM I got from Mudgoober]. Don't know that he is actually a bondsman any more. 
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