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 manager of a local business and said that an employee had been arrested for DUI and child endangerment. The manager was told that it would cost $1,634 in order to post a bond for the employee and that the money needed to be wired to him.

The manager was suspicious, though, and contacted the employee via text message, verifying that they had not been arrested. The scam artist hung up after being questioned by the manager.

Spokesman Sgt. Steve Lewis said that Douglas County has many court-certified bail bondsman and that wiring money to a third party is not a part of the process.

In order to verify that someone has been arrested, people can go to the Sheriff’s website, www.dgso.org, or call 785-830-100.

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 contacted Placer County in order to request their assistance with the case.

“He contacted agencies and jails in 42 states that we know of,” Hudson said.

Hudson says that Moynihan made contact with all of the bondsmen in the Sacramento area. There is no definite number of how many victims were taken in by this scam at this time, but it is hoped that authorities will have a final total in a few weeks.

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 other media sites with people’s detailed information, as well as the information of the proposed “inmate.”

The order events begin with a phone call. The fake law enforcement officer will call, requesting a specific amount of money to be wired to another jurisdiction, state or even country.

Sheriff Burgess stated, “If someone calls you asking for a bond, you need to check. Call the law enforcement agency directly and see if that person has been arrested.”

Furthermore, if you receive a phone call such as this, get all the information you can before you even think of sending any money. You can always confirm with the jail in question that the defendant is in fact there.

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 had sent a multitude of emails to various attorneys asking them to take part in his illegal referral scheme. Prosecutors said that Brockman’s emails asked for attorneys to refer his Respect Bail Bond Company to clients, while he in turn would refer his clients to them, which would “increase both of our earnings substantially.” A California bondsman cannot refer to an attorney.

Further, Brockman is accused of conducting business with inmates using flyers mailed to inmates at the Orange County jail with his name, company and contact information, and also the statement “Get out of jail today by calling now!”

Interestingly back in October of 2005, Brockman testified against attorney Joseph Cavallo in a trial conducted under an Orange County Grand Jury hearing that stated he had received payments from Cavallo for referring accused defendants to Cavallo’s attorney office. According to prosecutors, Brockman was not charged for this because his testimony was used in prosecuting other defendants. Attorney Joseph Cavallo, however, was convicted after pleading guilty in October of 2007 with part help from Brockman’s testimony.

The DA’s Bureau of Investigation began the investigation on Brockman after the OC District Attorney received a phone call from a private attorney reporting the delivery of an email detailing Brockman’s illegal bail scheme.

Brockman’s bail is set at $50,000 upon waiting for his arraignment. Seems that Brockman has no Respect for the bail bonds industry.

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 if he called around and bondsmen knew the charge, he might have a hard time getting out).  He has been released on his own recognizance and is due in Los Angeles Superior Court on Feb. 23 for a preliminary hearing, DA’s spokeswoman Shiara D vila-Morales confirmed.

“In essence, the defendant is accused of going to the Van Nuys jail and soliciting Korean-speaking arrestees to post their bail,” D vila-Morales elaborated. Edwin Lee has a current bail bond license, speaks fluent Korean and operates his business out of Koreatown, according to the article. It seems to me that the Department of Insurance ought to have that suspended by now.

The charges against the former LAPD police officer include two counts each of approaching prisoners to solicit bail, approaching prisoners to solicit bail inside a jail facility and failing to keep records of these solicitations.

Bail bond agents are legally forbidden to approach people to solicit bail. They can only do so if they have been contacted by the arrestee, a family member, friend or other interested party, first. It is also a separate felony to solicit bail in a jail facility, but since no records were kept of the alleged solicitations, Edwin Lee was not charged for this. 

Simply put, in the bail industry, a client must contact a bail agent. It is illegal for a bondsman to call and offer unrequested services. Calling a family member is perfectly legal if the defendant contacts the bail bondsman first and asks the bondsman to do so. 

If convicted, Lee could end up with a prison sentence that is about three years and eight months long. The case is now being investigated by the DA’s Justice System Integrity Division. (Good - get these unethical bondsmen out of our industry!)

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 the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department. With regards to allowing Malone to advertise along side other bail bondsmen inside the jail, Sacramento Sheriff’s Captain Scott Jones stated, “Well, I think we were unwitting participants in it… I think if we’re getting paid and we’re providing a paid service, then we assume some of the duty for that.”  He also allegedly stated that the department doesn’t make a dime off of the ads. Captain Jones was in command during the time Malone’s ads were posted.

We have warned the public about the bail scams in the past. Fortunately, this guy is finally out of business. But according to court documents, several unfortunate prior clients turned victims, have lost out on thousands of dollars.