Keep Bailing

Residents of Douglas County have been warned by the Sheriff’s Department of a bail bond scam occurring in the area. A scam artist has contacted a business, pretending to be an employee of the Sheriff’s Office, and asked for money to be wired for a bail bond.

It’s a popular bail scam that people attempt to use all across the country. Sheriff Ken McGovern has warned that anyone contacted by a third party requesting them to post bail for a friend or relative needs to be cautious.

In the most recent attempt at this scam, the individual allegedly contacted the Read more »

Sacramento, CA – According to News10, Michael Moynihan, 24, of the Bay Area has been arrested after an investigation of a nationwide bail scam. He is currently being held at the Sacramento County Jail on a no-hold parole hold, awaiting charges to be filed by the United States Attorney’s Office in California.

The authorities have stated that Moynihan falsely posed as an officer in order to gain information about inmates that were recently released from jail. He would then approach his victims, claiming to be a bondsman, and tell them that their bail would be going up and if they failed to pay him they would be re-arrested.

Moynihan denies the allegations, stating that they are a lie and, “not accurate at all.”

Detective Jim Hudson of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office has more than one recorded phone conversation between law enforcement and Moynihan who falsely identified himself as “Officer Johnson.”

Colorado Springs authorities initially Read more »

Sheriff Butch Burgess of Cumberland County, Tennessee is warning residents that a bail bonds scam warning is currently in effect. It was revealed that if someone in the area is contacted by a police officer, requesting money for someone they know to be bailed out of jail, be advised, this is a scam. In a press release, Sheriff Burgess said, “As a rule, law enforcement agencies aren’t going to call someone and ask them to wire money. It just doesn’t happen.”

Apparently, before this scam hit the Tennessee area about two weeks ago, it had been happening elsewhere for several years. Supposedly, the criminals will evaluate information on Facebook and Read more »

An Orange County bail bondsman was arrested Thursday on suspicion of conducting illegal business activities by a proposed referrals to attorneys and soliciting business via postcards to inmates. Under California Law, bail bondsmen are prohibited from referring clients to attorneys as well as soliciting bail bond clients. Potential clients must contact the bondsman requesting service.

The defendant, Ronald Lee Brockway is being charged with two felonies for violating regulations of bail licensing. Brockway, if convicted, will lose his bail license and serve time in a state prison for a maximum sentence of three years and eight months.

According to a news release, Brockman Read more »

Edwin Sunmin Lee, 39, retired from the Los Angeles Police Department in April 2005 after he confessed to a felony charge for filing a false police report.  (Not sure how he got his bail license, because you’re supposed to have a clean record.)

Surprise! – now he is allegedly in trouble once more.  The Hacienda Heights area ex-cop-turned-bail-bondsman has plead not guilty to charges that he illegally solicited bail from inmates in local jails.  County District Attorney’s officials have accused Lee of no less than six felony counts.  The incidents that led to his arrest supposedly took place at the Van Nuys jail on or about July 27, 2008 and Feb. 10, 2009.

Ironically, Lee does not have to be bailed out of jail himself (good thing, because Read more »

Brian Malone touted himself as being a licensed bail bondsman with “20 years of experience.”  But he was not. He then so boldly created a big ad with a photo of himself and posted it directly inside of the Sacramento County Jail to lure unknowing customers… the inmates themselves.  And at least 5 of them took his bait and paid him for bail that did not get posted.

Besides the fact that he’s been operating as a bondsman without a license, this “bogus bail bondsman” is allegedly a criminal himself; having previously been charged with numerous felonies which include, altering or falsifying government documents.  (A bail bondsman in California must be licensed by the California Department of Insurance. Additionally, convicted felons are not eligible to be bail bondsmen.)

Malone perpetrated this right in the jail, directly under the watch of Read more »