Keep Bailing

Some Orange County jail inmates are convincing others to contact certain bondsmen and receiving financial benefit in return… That’s the claim being made by Orange County three bail bondsmen who have filed a claim against the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Richard P. Herman, attorney for the bail agents indicates that former Sheriff Michael S. Carona allowed former Assistant Sheriff George Jaramillo to initiate a scheme whereby inmates steer arrestees to certain bail bond companies in returen for a kick-back.

Such allegations are not new in the bail industry. We regularly hear stories from people we bail out of jails in Los Angeles, Orange County and other places that inmates (I’ve heard them called “tank workers“) are “recommending” certain bondsmen. We’ve been told that these tank workers tell our clients that the bondsman they recomend will give a discount if they can get others to use his service or the bondsman will add money to their jail account. Unfortunately, stories are not enough. In my experience, it can be difficult to convince someone who is dealing with their own problems to file a formal complaint and give an affidavidt, as the Department of Insurance needs to open a case.

Given the problems of former Orange County Sheriff Carona, my guess is that these allegations are well founded. I just hope that there is enough support to not just move the complaint forward, but to actually clean up this offense. My gut tells me that until the public realizes that it’s not just a bondsman’s bottom line, but actually a public safety issue, such bail industry scams will continue or simply be slapped on the wrist.