Tweeker Seeker

Well if you do and it’s for a non-violent, misdemeanor crime then December is your lucky month. Santa Clara County is running and amnesty program this month that will allow you to stay out of jail. I used the program last year to convince a few fugitives to themselves in. All you have to do is get down to the Sheriff’s office on Younger Ave in San Jose and they will take your finger prints and issue you a new court date. The process normally takes about an hour depending on how busy they are. Under normal circumstances, if your warrant is over $5,000.00, the Police will take you to jail and you will either have to post bond or wait and see a Judge. Under this program it does not matter how big your warrant is as long as it’s not for a felony or for any type of violent crime (assault, domestic violence, etc.)

Here is a link to the press release if you want more information.

There’s an interesting article that appeared in the Associated Press today about bail companies that allow criminals to make payments on their bail premium or the fee they pay when they are bailed out of jail. The article talks about the increase in bail-credit because of the slowing economy and brings up several good points about the risks associated with  financing the bail premium. However the article failed to mention that a number of counties in California have increased the number of criminals who are being released on their own recognizance (O.R.). Santa Clara County, for one, has recently increased the number and types of criminals who are released under their ORP and SORP programs. Santa Clara County has also initiated an amnesty program for persons with non-violent, misdemeanor bench warrants. If you get arrested before the end of the year on a qualifying warrant, you are cited and released without having to post bond.

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Federal investigators served out a search warrant at AJ’s Bail Bonds in Modesto as part of an ongoing investigation into the business and its owner, Aleo John Pontillo. Apparently no was arrested and the feds arn’t saying too much about the case. According to local bondsman, AJ’s has been linked to drugs, firearms, kidnappings, extortion and money laundering. We’ll just have to see how this plays out.

Federal agents raid local bail bonds company

It appears that Cruz Bail Bonds has figured out or to obtain property and cash the old fashioned way – by stealing it from their customers. Brian Walker is the first of six people named in a California Department of Insurance investigation into Joaquin Cruz and his former bail bond company. Cruz is set to face extortion and false imprisonment charges.

The Department of Insurance regulates bondsmen and has been investigating Cruz since at least 2006. A call from one customer turned up complaints from five others, who said Cruz demanded more money from them after freeing them on bail. Several of Cruz’s family members and co-workers also were arrested in the case, and face multiple felony charges.

Further reading can be found Here,  Here, and Here