6 MONTHS FOR BOGUS BONDSMAN

By LAURA ITALIANO

A greedy Manhattan bail bondsman was sentenced yesterday to six months in jail for repeatedly faking his clients' paperwork -- lies that led to at least 58 dealers and stealers skipping the bogus bonds and becoming fugitives.

Juan Villar -- proprietor of Second Chance Bail Bonds behind Manhattan Criminal Court -- lied about his clients' abilities to post collateral, in some cases inventing assets where none existed.

Scores of clients -- mostly street-level drug dealers and muggers -- realized that once they were sprung on bail, they had little or no financial stake to return to court, and promptly vamoosed.

Prosecutors said all but eight were subsequently recaptured, but in many cases, that was only when they were arrested for new crimes.

Villar's insurance company wound up eating the $733,730 in forfeited bonds.

''Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive''

Sir Walter Scott, Marmion, Canto vi. Stanza 17.
Scottish author & novelist (1771 - 1832)

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

I think that the insurance companies that bring anybody on that can fog up a mirror, with no assets to back up what they write, is the problem and they should have to pay 3/4 of a million, but they still won't learn. When greed is the motivator, you will lose eventually. We have insurance companies with non-liability contracts, and many agents writing bad bail and this will eventually cost us the goose that laid the golden egg. If the courts do not believe that the integrity of the bondsman is without question, then they will look for alternatives to commercial bail, and they are. We presented before a panel of 27 Judges, and their collective comments reflected on how they didn't trust insurance companies because they are spending money to avoid paying forfeited bonds as opposed to finding the skips. Getting cute with the system is going to cost us all, mark my words.

Scott

_________________
R.E. "Scott" MacLean III

"Leaders are like Eagles, you never see them in a flock, but one at a time"

Chesapeake Group Investigations, Inc.
Chesapeake Bail Bonds
877-574-0500
301-392-1100 (fax)
301-392-1900 (Office)

Well said, Scott. While I'd like to believe that the majority of agents here in Missouri are honest, hard working business men (persons, sorry ladies ), activities like those described in the article at the beginning of this thread remain a big problem here, as well. If we don't find a way to get a handle on it, the courts will most likely do away with commercial bail here, as well. It may not happen tomorrow, but it's coming. And by we, I mean the men and women of this industry who bust their azzes everyday to do this job right, with honesty and integrity.

The bad part is, we can't depend on the courts to clean up this mess. It's going to take a concerted effort on the part of the members of our profession who actually give enough of a shyt to stand up and take action. We proved here earlier this year, that several people of the same mind making enough noise in all the right places can make a difference.

While it remains a very small percentage of us who engage in unsavory or illegal business practices, it's the integrity of the entire industry that has come under scrutiny in the courts. The majority of us will inevitably suffer for the ways of the minority.

I don't pretend for even a second, to know what the solution is, but I do know this... The courts have figured out that it's lot easier (and cheaper) to get rid of something than it is to fix it. If we're not careful, that "something" may just be the commercial bail industry. We need to see a lot more cases like the one in Manhattan, all across the country.

_________________
Doug DiNatale Bail Bonds
Vienna, MO
(573) 368-6672

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups."

Doug,
Consider the current economic shortfalls for the states nationwide and consider bonds posted to the court. I blogged on www.Pursuitmag.com about this issue and was challenged by Rick Gurley in regard to my premise. I would like for all of you to read it and respond on how it relates in your area. Rick has a respected opinion, albeit a shady past, but he is not a bondsman and does not share our passion for this industry. Maryland has gone from 10% to the court bonds where the defendant gets refunded upon appearance to the bond posted being converted to a fine and kept. The only time they get the money back is if they are found not guilty. If the case is nolle prosequied, guilty or PBJ'd, they keep the money. Previously, they never attempted to collect on 10% bonds if the defendant forfeited, now, due to the shortfall of cash, they are pursuing them. We are absolutely in competition with the court systems and we are losing. We can't even get 6 members on our bail bond association to pay dues so that we can fund our lobbyist, and we have 182 licensed bondsmen here! The ones that won't join or pay are happy to ride on the work product of others as oppossed to stepping up and being pros.

Scott

_________________
R.E. "Scott" MacLean III

"Leaders are like Eagles, you never see them in a flock, but one at a time"

Chesapeake Group Investigations, Inc.
Chesapeake Bail Bonds
877-574-0500
301-392-1100 (fax)
301-392-1900 (Office)

The easy road is what brings failure to everything........ complacency is rampant and I don't know what we could do to fix it.... I have spent time face to face with DCJS... made phone calls... tried to get other bondsmen involved in activities.... sat in courtrooms to try and educate myself but what I come up against time and again is the lack of interest and concern of not only other bondsmen and BEA people but the same lackadaisical attitude of the ones on the other side... be them judges, court clerks or other related state and fed employees... not to say there are not solid members on both sides but there are so many that just don't give a shyt... and that is what will probably be the ruin... sorry to be a pessimist... I am usually fairly upbeat and positive but it's hard when your constantly slammed by the negative.

I can only control myself and present myself in a professional and caring manner... I treat everyone I deal with respectfully and hopefully it rubs off .... I will say that I constantly get clients and court people telling me that it is a pleasure to do business with me.... not to pat myself on the back but I really do try to bend over backwards to get it done right... and if I don't know the answer... I try my damdest to find out and provide it or give them a direction to the answer. I guess that is all we can do as individuals and hope the powers that be will see that there are a few of us that work at being correct and conscientious in our business and maybe that will be the key that keeps us in business. So far it has kept me plugging along for 10 years.

I spent just under 30 years in the drivers seat of a tractor trailer... I retired 3 years ago... during that time I never had the fastest truck... I never ran the schedules faster than the next guy... I never broke any records or got a trophy for having the neatest or shiniest truck... I did however always deliver my freight on schedule and I never tore up any equipment or got into any legal hassles with the DOT. I can number the speeding tickets on one hand and I never in 30 years, driving 2 to 3,000 miles every week... ever had a chargeable accident... and that is the way I do my bond business.... slow but sure. I wish I could instill those values in everyone I meet... I damn sure ain't perfect but I value my reputation and if everyone would do that one thing.... maybe we could raise the perception of the general public and LE and courts toward out business... and thereby improve it overall. It seems to me that bondsmen are like truckers... as a trucker we never could get enough of us involved to get anything done with state and fed DOT.... it appears the same for us now.... back to that word, complacency... my only hope is that (and I'm gonna get blasted for this one... ) people in our business seem for the most part to be a bit more educated and a bit more level headed than the average trucker... maybe that will help us in the long run....

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"