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One of Hudson's most wanted surrenders at Mexican border

Friday, December 16, 2005
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

One of Hudson County's most wanted surrendered to U.S. authorities at the Mexican border yesterday, Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said.

Fausto Guzman, 22, formerly of 69th Street in Guttenberg, fled the country after pleading guilty to raping an 11-year-old girl, officials said. He had been in Ecuador, but went to Mexico in order to surrender to border patrol agents yesterday afternoon after getting word that a bail bonds company was going to seize his uncle's home in Guttenberg, DeFazio said.

Guzman, aka "Guaman," was arrested on charges he raped the girl in Guttenberg in March 2003, and he pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault six months later. He was to appear for sentencing on Feb. 6, 2004, but he jumped $100,000 bail, DeFazio said.

Jersey City bounty hunter Adel Mikhaeil got information that Guzman, who had been in the United States illegally, was now hiding in Ecuador. He then devised a ploy to bring him in.

Knowing that Guzman's uncle used his Guttenberg home as collateral for the $100,000 bail bond, he went to the uncle's house with two members of his crew; one posing as a real-estate appraiser; and another as a photographer, Mikhaeil said.

As they snapped photos and took measurements, the uncle came out to see what was going on, and Mikhaeil told him his house was going to be taken because Guzman jumped bond, Mikhaeil said.

The panicked uncle asked for time, saying he would talk to his nephew in Ecuador, Mikhaeil said.

"Sometimes family is so tight," Mikhaeil said. "He was running, but he realized he was hurting his uncle. He said, 'My uncle practically raised me.'"

The bounty hunter said Guzman arrived at the border saying "I'm wanted in Hudson County and I want to turn myself in."

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.s ... xml&coll=3

_________________
Don Herbert
Surety Administrators, Inc.
645 Penn St. 4th Floor
Reading, PA. 19601
610-372-8811 xt 262

Collateral works almost every time on Bail Bonds. The Hispanic community is very tight and if you have a family members personal property up as collateral and show the intent to take it away, the skip almost always will turn themselves in because, to dis-honor a family member is allot worse than going to jail. I find this works allot more often in the Hispanic community than any other ethnic group. They show honor of family stronger than anyone else that I have had to deal with in this business.

I dont know this guy Mikhaeil but I've read about him doing a lot of captures, he seems like he's talented when it comes bringing in the skips.

I've been having a "slow" year for the most part however last week after 5 months I finally tracked down a drug trafficker that jumped on a 50,000 bond out of Erie, we got him extradited back on Wednesday, this guy was using aliases and bouncing between 3 addresses in Cleveland, I put heat on 2 of the 3 addresses and sure enough he was hanging out by the third one the next day, this guy was running for 2 years, he was on Erie's most wanted and I even went on the radio in September to get the word out.

_________________
Chuck

Bill would require bounty hunter background check
PETE DALY, Staff Writer12/17/2005


TRENTON -- A bill that would tighten rules for bounty hunters sailed out of committee yesterday and is eligible for a vote by the state Senate.

The law, which outlines regulations for bounty hunters and requires them to register with state police, was proposed by Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Ewing) after The Trentonian profiled a case in which bounty hunters allegedly barged into the wrong Trenton home.

"Unless we put certain common-sense restrictions on bounty hunters, we’re going to end up with a tragedy on our hands," Turner said in a statement. "Bounty hunters are not policemen, and should not have the freedom to act as such."

The Senate committee of Law, Public Safety, and Veterans Affairs released the bounty hunter bill "without recommendation" yesterday, meaning it could face changes.

"It typically means there are some issues with the bill, but that the issues can be decided by the full Senate," said Sen. Peter Inverso (R-Hamilton). "I think the bill goes in the right direction. The issue is whether it’s fair or unfair to require those in this business to have to submit all the licensure requirements."

Turner’s bill would require bounty hunters to withstand a background check of their criminal history and to register with the Superintendent of State Police before they can work in New Jersey.

Inverso said the Senate may require a grandfather clause in the bill to allow bounty hunters who are already in business protection from the potential requirements.

The legislation also reinforces that bounty hunters in search of fugitives do not possess police powers.

"Currently there is little regulation of fugitive recovery agents, and that’s just dangerous," Turner said.

The blurred line between bounty hunters and the law became disturbingly apparent last month, when agents of the Tri-State Fugitive Recovery Team knocked down the front and back doors of a Passaic Street home looking for Dion Duncan.

Duncan had warrants out of Hamilton and Trenton totaling $4,000, and the bounty hunters burst into Brenda Livingston’s home because they believed he was inside.

But Duncan wasn’t in the house, and Livingston told The Trentonian her pitbull, Chaos, ran away as the bounty hunters rummaged through her home. She also alleged rent money and a diamond engagement ring that were in a jewelry box were missing after the raid.

"When they got inside, they sprayed my pet dog with mace and he flew out the front door," Livingston said after the Nov. 7 search. "My house has been ransacked, there are things all over the floor. It’s a mess."

An attorney for ABC Bail Bonds Inc. of Morrisville, which subcontracted the job to Tri-State, later said the allegations were untrue.

The attorney, Jack Furlong, also said Duncan was later apprehended by following Livingston’s husband to a location on Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Turner said she wants to put an end to the ability of bounty hunters to enter and leave homes at will, leaving residents like Livingston confused and unnerved.

"Despite whatever romanticized ideals bounty hunters may have of their profession, they are not defenders of the law -- they are nothing more than hired mercenaries," she said. "They have absolutely no justification for special police powers, and no authorization under the law -- we need to clarify this before someone gets killed."

_________________
Lance Allen Wilkinson
Recoveries by L.A.W.
Serving since 1984
“What is sought is found... what is overlooked escapes” (Oedipus Rex)

Time for all of you NJ beas to wake up--I know the NJ is an extreme liberal state--you people need to bring the bea message to the public-yes we are in favor of licensing- yes we are in favor of training--most important please do not hogtie us-we are not a bunch of mercenaries-we make arrests by authority of a us supreme court decision and common law dating back to ancient times-all at no cost to the taxpayer-yes we get paid -pds get paid-our operations are mostly more effeciant than your pds as shown by the figures that we arrest over ninty percent of the nationwide bail jumpers and all law enforcement less than seven percent- do you want the criminals in your back yards i do not think so--if you do not jump bail you have nothing to fear if your a bail jumping scumbag watch out--there are many laws on the books already to handle beas who do wrong if we break into the wrong house we can be charged with breaking and entering(a felony in most places)if we arrest the wrong person we cpuld be charged with unlaw full restraint or even kidnapping-we are not above the law we are a needed part of the law--please get the word out--we work to help the public not hurt them--get to your newspapers-readio and tv stations fight back--every easy victory we give the liberal aholes is another nail in our coffin--do not sit on your butt while these people bury you and your good name fight back with every thing you have join each other and silence these idiots -- if i can assist in any way feel free to call

I have been seeing the handwriting on the wall for some time now, that's why I went back to Law Enforcement, the future of the bail recovery profession is uncertain at best, we all know that eliminating BEA's will have a terrible effect on the public and our criminal justice system but that won't stop the law makers who like seeing their name in the paper from passing ridiculous laws that make bail recovery to difficult, risky and expensive for most professionals to remain in the trade.

If the proposed law here in PA passes in it's current form then it will be a nightmare for BEA's, to the novice the law looks like common sense, however when I look at the provisions such as getting licensed through the County Court I can see that politics will probably come into play, in many parts of PA only certain people with the right connections will get licensed, another likely issue will be that Counties will proclaim that you can't operate there unless your licensed in that County thus limiting BEA's to a single County (This happened to Humane Society Police after the County Courts got involved with appointing them) the third issue is that the new law would permit out of state BEA's as long as their State has similar licensing and training requirements, "similar" can be interpreted many ways and you can bet it will be interpreted differently in different parts of the state, thus creating a situation where out of state BEA's come to PA at their own risk.

I submitted recomendations to the Counsel for the State Senate Judiciary Committee back in February, if they accept my recomendations then the above issues will be eliminated, if not then I feel sorry for BEA's trying to work in PA.

_________________
Chuck

I find the allegations by the homeowner curios. If her dog ran away how does she know that it was sprayed by pepper spray?

It does not sound like the legislation proposed is all that strict. Ours here are much more restrictive than what I just read.

Bounty hunter bill gets 2 thumbs-up in advance of vote
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE - JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The Hudson County prosecutor and a local bounty hunter both laud a proposed state law that would require bounty hunters to undergo background checks, register with the state and carry identification cards.

Under the proposed law, bounty hunters also would have to apply for a renewable two-year license - and if caught working in New Jersey without it, would face up to 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The bill passed easily in the Assembly, 76-2, on Dec. 12; on Friday, the state Senate Law, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee moved it to the full Senate for a vote.

"The 'Wild West' mentality exhibited by some bounty hunters must be put in check," said Assemblyman Peter J. Barnes Jr., D-Middlesex, a retired FBI special agent who co-sponsored the bill. "We must hold bounty hunters accountable for their actions and ensure that they do not abuse their perceived authority."

Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio called the proposed law a step in the right direction.

"The bail bond industry, including their bounty hunters, has not been adequately regulated in the state of New Jersey," DeFazio said. "Hopefully it will help the bail bondsmen who operate legitimately and eliminate those who operate outside the law."

DeFazio said there have been a number of incidents in Hudson County in which the conduct of bounty hunters has been unacceptable, though he didn't cite specific examples.

"I think it's about time," said Jersey City bounty hunter Adel Mikhaeil, who has arrested hundreds of fugitives over the years.

"There are a lot of criminals out there hunting criminals and the things they do makes it hard for us," Mikhaeil said. "Being licensed - that's fine, that's good. I'm qualified."

Mikhaeil said Delaware recently adopted a similar law, and last week he received his badge and identification as a licensed bail enforcement agent in that state.

New Jersey's proposed law was prompted by an incident this summer in which two bounty hunters burst into the Rutherford home of Claudia Santana and dragged her away. When they realized she wasn't the woman they wanted, they shoved her out of their van and left her on the side of the road, 35 miles from home.

But authorities said the bounty hunters couldn't face criminal charges for the incident, though one was charged for allegedly carrying a weapon without a permit.

Newhouse News Service contributed to this report.

_________________
Lance Allen Wilkinson
Recoveries by L.A.W.
Serving since 1984
“What is sought is found... what is overlooked escapes” (Oedipus Rex)

» More From The Jersey Journal



Danger, yes, but 'urgent need' must be proved to carry a gun
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Bounty hunter Adel Mikhaeil is licensed to carry a handgun in 34 states - but not in New Jersey.

He was in court last week, trying to change that.

"What happens if I'm met at a door by a fugitive with a gun? I'm a dead man," said Mikhaeil, a resident of Jersey City.

Tough New Jersey gun laws require applicants to demonstrate an "urgent need" to carry a gun, and the Jersey City Police Department denied Mikhaeil's permit.

Last week, Mikhaeil appealed that decision to Hudson County Superior Court Judge Fred Theemling Jr. The case is scheduled to be continued Feb. 1.

Mikhaeil says he's arrested 600 fugitives since 2002, including 300 violent criminals currently behind bars.

"I've arrested a lot of people, and a lot of them aren't too happy about it," Mikhaeil said.

Unfortunately, being on the wrong end of a gun comes with the job as a professional bail recovery agent, Mikhaeil said. He's never been shot, though he's had some close calls, including a protective boyfriend who pointed a gun at him while he was trying to arrest a female fugitive.

He's also been stabbed in the back of the head and even had his throat slashed - by a bail bondsman.

""((But the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, which is opposing Mikhaeil's application in court, doesn't want to set a precedent in which all bounty hunters can carry firearms.))""

""((Someone's position as a bounty hunter does not in and of itself reach the threshold of permission to carry a gun," Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said.))""

"" Can anyone here read between the lines "" ???

This poor guy has a rough life, many of us have been "stabbed in the back" by a Bondsman but this guy had his throat slashed by a Bondsman.

_________________
Chuck