Volume 15, Issue 3 Winter 2005

PRESORTED FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sharon, PA PERMIT No. 22

TWO OLD FRIENDS Harvey Childs first met Dick Thornburgh in the middle 1970’s when Mr. Thornburgh was the U.S. Attorney in Western Pennsylvania and had developed a national reputation as the scourge of organized crime and jailed many MOB figures. White collar crimes were high on the list and it did not matter who you were. At the same time there had been a bail bond scandal in Pittsburgh were several bondsman and their cohorts wound up in jail. Bail had a horrible image and it was hard to tell who the clients were and who the bondsmen were. Harvey Childs at the time did no business in Pittsburgh but operated in most other areas of Pennsylvania. He ‘Bail Guy’ Seeking to lived 75 miles north of Pittsburgh in Mercer County and was prominent in politics in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Harvey had Have Charge Dropped managed campaigns for district attorneys, congressman, sheriffs At a recent breakfast, Harvey Childs left, and was Western Pennsylvania’s Executive Director in the re-election Richard Thornburgh, right January 11, 2005 – Fullerton, CA of President Richard Nixon in 1972. An attorney for the owner of a bail bonds company in Whittier charged When Dick Thornburgh announced that he was thinking of running for governor and was coming to Mercer County for a speech, Childs was selected to meet him at a restaurant by the interstate. While waiting with multiple felonies related to his business said Tuesday he is negotiating in the parking lot he thought that with all Thornburgh’s toughness and potential enemies that he would be with prosecutors to have the charges dropped or reduced. Mike McDonnell, traveling with body guards. Minutes later up pulled a several year old station wagon and out came Mr. who represents Adnan Yousef, owner of American Liberty Bail Bonds, said he is Thornburgh, a scholarly looking man. Childs introduced himself and told Mr. Thornburgh where they were seeking to avoid a preliminary hearing for his client and is in negotiations with prosecutors. going for his address to a large republican group. Childs then decided quickly to let Mr. Thornburgh know what he did for a living before they even reached his car. When Childs told him the story, Thornburgh Yousef, who billed himself as “The Bail Guy” in radio advertisements, was arrested in September, along with answered casually and said, “We know who you are, Harvey, you cleaned up the bail business in many parts his three sons and two business associates. of Pennsylvania and gave it legitimacy as a part of the justice system.” Childs somewhat stunned by Mr. The group is facing 28 counts related to illegal business practices, according to prosecutors and court Thornburgh’s answer told Mr. Thornburgh that he appreciated the compliment. Mr. Thornburgh then told documents. Prosecutors allege company officials engaged in strong-arm tactics to pressure clients into using Harvey to call him Dick. They shook hands and that began an almost life-long adult friendship with both Dick and his wife. When he ran for Governor Harvey was very active in the campaign, after winning the the company’s services. Yousef and the others appeared for a hearing in North Orange County Court in election Childs’ wife was named Chairman of the Inaugural activities. Following his second term as Governor Fullerton, during which a judge ordered some personal property returned to him. The group was ordered to he was appointed by President George Bush Sr. as United States Attorney General and instituted many return to court March 4 when a date will be chose for the preliminary hearing if negotiations between the two changes in the National Justice System. Today, you see him on the Larry King show and he is a legal expert sides fail. Meanwhile, the company has been suspended, by order of the state Department of Insurance. A for various television networks. He now is one of the head lawyers in the liquidation of Enron, the largest spokeswoman for the department said the company’s appeal will be heard in a courtroom January bankruptcy in history. 30. and she gave this address.” She said that the police arrived quickly, and that two officers came to her New Program has Bondsmen The Wrong Womandoor. She said the bounty hunter “approached the police and said, ‘She’s lying about her Social Security July 6, 2005 – Rutherford, NJ worrying about the Future of their Jobs number,’ and I said I’m not lying.” The Police Department said it is investigating an And when the bounty hunter showed the photo The Stuart News/Port St. Lucie News (Stuart, FL) accusation by a borough woman that she was kidnapped of the woman they were looking for to the police officers, MARTIN COUNTY EDITION on June 28th by bounty hunters while three borough “the cop said, ‘Oh, yes, it’s her,’” Santana said. That’s November 25, 2005 Friday police officers watched and did nothing to help. Claudia when the bounty hunters ordered Santana to get dressed Santana said it was a case of mistaken identity that and handcuffed her behind her back and escorted her to the van, Santana said. “Nobody told me why I was Eligible defendants would strap on a tracking bracelet instead of having to pay to get out of jail. caused two bounty hunters to show up near midnight on June 28th. She said borough officers, whom she had being arrested,” she said. “They took me out of my house St. Lucie County bail bondsmen want to lock out a new program they say could turn into a get-out-of-jail- called to protect her, stood by while the bounty hunters, without knowing why, and the police just stood there.” free card for suspects. The bondsmen recently whose identities could not be determined Tuesday, took The bounty hunters refused to let her husband her away in handcuffs. The men released her outside get in the van with her, Santana said. He followed behind spoke out against a program that uses a satellite the Dover police station when they realized their mistake, in his car, she said. She said she cried out to them, tracking system to keep tabs on suspects, which she added. “We are aware of the incident that occurred,” “Don’t I have the right to speak to a lawyer? He said ‘No, Police Chief Steven Nienstedt said. “A complete and we have to take your fingerprints.’” In Dover, the men they fear will steal away business. The program, thorough investigation is under way.” parked outside the police station. The “supervisor” which will start in December, is designed to Santana said she wants an apology from the bounty hunter went into the station with all of Santana’s monitor defendants while they wait for trial by Rutherford police first. She said she has not decided identification and came out 10 minutes later. “He said, what her next step will be but, “I want to find out what ‘I’ll be good to you but if you keep crying, you’ll make strapping a GPS tracking device on their ankle my rights are.” “What [the police] did was wrong,” she me upset, and I’ll change my mind,’” Santana said The and making them carry a one-way cell phone. said. “The police are not protecting me; they are man took her handcuffs off and “I jumped out of the protecting themselves.” Nienstedt said he count not van,” Santana said. “They didn’t explain it was a mistake. St. Lucie County Bail Bondsman Association comment on the particulars of the case but said the He kept saying he’s doing me a favor.” President Mitchell Hilburn said Wednesday he investigation would take several more days. Santana And then the two men drove off, she said, leaving feels his business, along with the businesses said her husband woke her on the night of June 28th her outside the police station. “He left me in the street,” and asked her to come to the door, where she saw a she said. The Dover Police Department and the Morris of the other 77 registered bail bondsmen in the man who had a gun at his hip and a flashlight in his County Prosecutor’s Office didn’t return calls for county, will be affected by the program. "We hand. Another man stood in her front yard behind a tree, comment. The bounty hunters apparently were looking she said. for Claudia Patricia Rincon, wanted since 2003 for jumping feel it will replace or seriously hurt the private “He said ‘Are you Claudia Santana?’ and I said bail after being accused of embezzling $69,000. She business of bail bondsman," he said. "I'm scared ‘Yes’,” Santana said. “He flashed his light in my face.” remains at large. Santana said that she called the Dover Police and that I'm going to lose a customer base at the taxpayer expense." Several bondsmen, including Hilburn, spoke Santana said the man, who did not identify himself and only quickly flashed a badge, showed her a photo of a the officer she spoke with told her she had been against the program at Tuesday's County Commission meeting as well. County Criminal Justice Coordinator woman that had been printed from a computer. She said “kidnapped,” she said. “He was the only person to tell Mark Godwin said the purpose of the program is not to replace the county's bond industry but to offer he asked her if the woman in the photo was her, and me it was wrong,” she said. “he said they have to be 100 when she said it was not, he insisted it was. percent sure who they are arresting.” an alternative to suspects who can't afford bail. Santana said she then got nervous and called the police. And when she finally called the Rutherford police, "This is not designed to put them out of business. ... St. Lucie County is not going into the bail “I felt a little more confident with the police on 911,” she an officer told her that records showed that the bounty said. Santana said the man at the door asked for her hunters “had been looking for somebody, and they bonds business," he said. "We're trying to find people who qualify... as opposed to setting them in jail and identification, and she said she showed him her old New weren’t found,” she said. “It sounds like the ‘Twilight wasting taxpayers' money," he said. Within hours after they are arrested, low-grade-type offenders will York State driver’s permit, which has a photo; her Social Zone’ scene that nobody believes who you are,” she be evaluated for eligibility by staff from Sentencing Alternatives, a Pembroke Pines company that will run Security card; and her permanent resident card. The said. “If you have IDs and that’s not enough, what else family lived in New York until last year. can you do, what else can you show?” Santana said she the program for the county. Hilburn and other bondsmen have argued the cost of bonding out of jail Santana, 37, came to the United States from and her husband are patriotic and love America. shouldn't be an issue because many bail bondsmen let their clients pay in installments. He also suggested Colombia in 1995 with her parents, brother and sister. “This is the last refuge in the world, the only Nine years ago, she married Juan Carlos Santana, place that you really feel safe,” she said. “I want everybody that if the criminal justice system wants to use this program, only suspects declared indigent by a judge who came from the Dominican Republic when he to know this is not right.” And though Santana said she should be eligible. Godwin said he has spoken to county bondsmen in the past few months about the was 7 and considers himself an American, Claudia is still terrified a week later and doesn’t sleep at night, issue. Further, the bondsmen have a representative, Janet Collins, on the board of the Public Safety Santana said. The man took her identification and she said she must speak out. “I’m not going to let these started writing Santana said. “He didn’t explain” why things happen in this country,” she said. “I know it’s not Coordinating Council, which deals with jail overcrowding and approved the program. he was there or what he wanted,” she said. “He said the first time it’s happened but I want it to be the last.” this person [in the photo] is named Claudia Santana 2 7 Local Bondsman Depends on Bondsman Surrenders in Bondsman arrested LaRosa Referrals for Business for impersonating Slaying of Fugitive competitor; extortion Mayor The bail bond business is not competitive so there’s no February 11, 2005 – Pittsburgh, PA need for strong-arm tactics, said a Whittier bondsman who is A bail bondsman surrendered to face a charge DATELINE: PUEBLO, Colo. Rocky Hill, CT – The bail industry following the case against Adnan Yousef and American Liberty of criminal homicide in the fatal shooting of A bondsman faces felony charges now has another licensed bondsman Bail Bonds. In fact, soliciting clients for a bail bond business is an unarmed fugitive during a confrontation in a North Side house. Mark Smith, 37, of for allegedly sending a bribery who has become Mayor of his town. against state law. Hugh Goldberg, half of Goldberg and Telles Bail the North Side, was accompanied by his letter signed by a rival company's Anthony LaRosa, a long time Bonds in Whittier, said he does not need to drum up business. attorney when he surrendered at 7:45 p.m. employee to a sheriff's deputy. member of our profession, wiped out “Most of my business comes from lawyer referrals or at the Municipal Courts Building, Downtown. Homer Lamar Blackwell Jr., of He was charged in the death of Michael Robinson, a former Pueblo, was arrested Tuesday on his opponent by a 2 to 1 ratio. This repeat customers,” he said. “I don’t advertise very much.” Goldberg Ross resident. Robinson, 38, died of a shotgun wound to a warrant for charges of criminal said the bail bond business works like a bank. “You go to the came about when Mayor Tod Cusano the pelvis. He was shot Dec.23rd during a confrontation with impersonation, attempting to decided not to run for a second term. bank and you want $50,000,” he said. “The bank will loan you the Smith at a home on Rising Main Avenue. Smith’s partner, Anthony McKay, influence a public servant and 31, of Brookline, has not been charged. “I’m surprised…that it’s a single charge money and charge you $5,000 interest. We’re the same way.” The extortion. The 50-year-old, of LaRosa who promised to stabilize of homicide as opposed to a specific count of manslaughter,” said attorney Insurance Department closed American Liberty Bail Bonds in Blackwell's Bail Bonds, posted taxes placed this issue and the Michael DeRiso, who represents Smith, adding that his client is “upset’ that September after learning about the arrests of Yousef and the charges were filed. $15,000 bail and was released the reputation of he and his family for others, but Goldberg said the demise of American Liberty has Smith was arraigned yesterday in Night Court before District Judge same day. According to an residents to decide. Congratulations affidavit by Sgt. Allen Medina, not affected his business. “I make a living and I’m not looking to Armand Martin and was released after posting 10 percent of a $25,000 bond. Mayor elect LaRosa. A hearing was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. in City Court. Allegheny County Common Blackwell allegedly mailed a set the world on fire,” he said. “I can sleep at night.” Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning has issued a gag order in the case, authorities deputy at the Pueblo County Jail said. DeRiso previously stated that Smith fired a rubber bullet at Robinson. a $100 bill and a note that read: “He never intended to kill anybody,” DeRiso said at the time. “The bullets he "Thanks for all the bond referrals used are for non-deadly self-protection. on your shift. This is not much, Planning Your Funeral Major Events County Coroner Dr. Cyril H. Wecht, however, said a bullet slug recovered but I am sure you will appreciate from Robinson’s body was made of lead. A Butler County judge in December it. Keep up the good work. The Baltimore, MD of 2005 had revoked a $20,000 bond posted by the company after Robinson failed to more we make, the more you appear in court on charges of receiving stolen property. Robinson was arrested One of the most vocal complaints in our industry is the make." The return address was in August by Zelienople police, who found him sleeping in a car reported of a competing bail bondsman in cutting of premiums. It is becoming more and more prevalent stolen from his former girlfriend. The bail company, based Downtown, hired Phillip Konvitz Pueblo. The deputy who received and in many areas is expected by those seeking bail for passed away Smith and McKay to hunt down Robinson. They found him in a North Side house that had no electricity, and a confrontation occurred in a dark room. the letter immediately told her themselves or their friends. They expect a discount. The only McKay thought Robinson was armed and fired once, investigators said. Police supervisor someone was trying effective way to stop this practice is for local associations to The demise of later discovered that Robinson, whose last known address was in Zelienople, to frame her. Members of the bail did not have a weapon. Bail-bond agencies sometimes employ people to track bondsman company on the return rally against it and look for legal ways to stop the practice. Capital Bonding down defendants who skip out on bail bonds. Such workers are called bail address denied sending the letter. With all the liability out there in lawsuits, skips, bondsmen, skip tracers, or fugtive-recovery agents. They are derisively called When investigators bounty hunters by some people. Police said officers were dispatched at 6:59 spoke with two of forfeitures, and an increase in advertising, it is a difficult job Percentage bail p.m. Dec.23rd to help the two bail bondsmen who were trying to serve a on the rise Blackwell's from day to day to keep your head above water. So every time fugitive warrant on Robinson. employees, they Officers found Robinson on the floor bleeding heavily. The officers you cut your price, if you are serious about your business for implicated him performed CPR until paramedics arrived but were unable to revive him. as the letter's the long term, you are just pounding another nail in your coffin. Publicized bounty Robinson was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:28 p.m. The shooting sparked author, according hunting abuses a dispute between Wecht and District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. Zappala’s office filed a series of court petititons in January asking Manning to quash to the affidavit. subpoenas that Wecht’s office issued in anticipation of conducting open Blackwell has denied The rise of Dog inquests into the death of Robinson and the Nov.9th police shooting in Wilkins the allegations. The Bounty Hunter of Eugene Aiello, 31, of Turtle Creek. The district attorney contends Wecht (figure this one out) was overstepping his authority- as Smith is not a licensed bondsmen.

6 3 BOUNTY HUNTER FACES JUDGE IN KILLING OF FUGITIVE MAJOR PROBLEM IN DENVER Pittsburgh Tribune Review wanted man last year on the North Side. Common Pleas November 22, 2005 – Denver, CO Denver police patrolman Gary Hise said. “There were November 30, 2005 Wednesday Judge Jeffrey A. Manning, who presided at the nonjury trial of Mark Smith, ruled that the agent was grossly A bounty hunter allegedly opened fire on a gobs of (kids) all over the place,” Hise said. Mark Like any resident making a private arrest, bounty hunters negligent in the shooting Dec. 23 in a home at Rising can use deadly force while trying to capture a fugitive wanted man in the parking lot of a west Denver Stevens, Denver Public Schools spokesman, said Main Avenue and Howard Street. Mr. Smith, 38, faces only in the case of self-defense, a local bail bondsman elementary school where students were just getting campus administrators think more than half of the up to 2 1/2 to five years in prison when he is sentenced told an Allegheny County judge Tuesday. But Assistant out of class.No students were injured. The wanted Godsman student population already had left school District Attorney Stephie Kapourales said bounty hunter Feb. 27. He remained free on $25,000 bond yesterday. when the gunfire occurred. Administrators kept the Mark Smith, 37, of the North Side, had no justification Judge Manning ordered him to wear an electronic man, Mike Lopez, 24, was not apprehended. Officers for fatally shooting fugitive Michael Robinson in a North monitoring device until sentencing. Mr. Smith was arrested one of the bounty hunters on suspicion of other students inside the building and declared a convicted in the shotgun shooting death Side house last year. Smith went on trial negligent discharge of a firearm, said police lockdown. The school’s staff notified parents to come yesterday on a general charge of homicide of Michael P. Robinson, 38. The judge spokesman Sonny Jackson. Although Jackson pick up their children, Stevens said. Sally Atayde for the Dec. 23 slaying of Robinson, 38, said the case "cries out" for regulations, formerly of Ross. Common Pleas Judge pointing out that bounty hunters like identified the bounty hunter taken into custody, he was with her 8-year-old son, Tony, and her nephew, Mr. Smith are not required to have Jeffrey A. Manning is hearing the nonjury could not verify the spelling of his name. Jackson 10-year-old Thomas. “I heard the shots,” Thomas trial. Robinson failed to appear in a Butler training and are not governed by laws said the gunfire near Charlotte Godsman Elementary said, unable to suppress a smile and a twinge of County courtroom for his trial Dec. 2 on followed by police officers. A bail bond charges of receiving stolen property, said enforcement agent law is pending in the School, 2120 W. Arkansas Ave., “leaves us greatly pride. “Then they locked the classroom doors.” Hise George Lee, president of Liberty Bail state Legislature. Judge Manning ruled concerned.” The situation began when two bounty said that although no one was hurt, a pregnant woman that Mr. Smith failed to recognize the Bonds. Lee's company had posted a hunters went to the 1300 block of South Umatilla at the school began experiencing contractions upon $20,000 bond to get Robinson out of jail. risk of shooting Mr. Robinson with When the court threatened to forfeit that ammunition that he said he believed Street about 2:30 p.m. to look for Lopez, Jackson hearing the bond, Lee testified, he hired Smith and would be non-deadly. Though Mr. Smith said. Lopez saw the pair and tried to drive away in gunfire. his partner, Anthony McKay, to find said he believed his shotgun was loaded a light blue Ford Thunderbird. One of the bounty “Whether there was Robinson. Smith and McKay had been with rubber projectiles, the slug that some connection to this or trained as "fugitive recovery agents" and had done other killed Mr. Robinson was made of lead. Mr. Smith, a hunters positioned himself in front of Lopez’s car jobs for Liberty, Lee said. They could earn $2,000 for recovery agent for Liberty Bail Bonds Inc., Downtown, and ordered the driver to get out, Jackson said. When not we don’t know, but she finding Robinson and bringing him to jail. The pair and his partner, Anthony McKay, had been tracking Mr. Lopez refused, the bounty hunter fired a round into suddenly went into labor,” searched for Robinson for two days, starting in Zelienople, Robinson for several days when they found him hiding the Thunderbird. A chase ensued to the school, Stevens said. Butler County, where Robinson had been living with behind a couch in a residence that had no lights or heat. friends. Eventually, they tracked him down to a house Mr. Smith told investigators that in the darkened living where one of the bounty hunters fired more shots, on Rising Main Street, North Side. Smith, who was armed room, he believed that Mr. Robinson, a convict with a with a shotgun, told police Robinson swiped at him with history of violent behavior, wielded a weapon to prevent a "shiny silver object" in the darkness and lunged at him his arrest. Mr. Robinson was free on $20,000 bond while inside the house. Smith then shot Robinson once in the awaiting prosecution on drug and stolen property BEAUTY FOUND DEAD pelvis. Robinson bled to death inside the house, charges. When he failed to appear in Butler County court June 30, 2005 – Los Angeles, CA Kapourales said. McKay, who did not fire a weapon and for jury selection, an arrest warrant was issued. Mr. has not been charged, is expected to testify during the Smith reported that he found Mr. Robinson hiding behind Model-turned-bounty hunter Domino Harvey – whose tumultuous life inspired an upcoming film starring trial, which continues today. a chair in the darkened room, refusing to surrender. The Keira Knightly – has been found dead in her bathtub, authorities said yesterday. An autopsy failed to reveal what agent said that Mr. Robinson swiped at the agent's leg killed the 35-year-old troubled beauty, they said. The daughter of the late British actor (“The with a silver object. Mr. Robinson then lunged at the UPDATE: Manchurian Candidate,” “Butterfield 8”), she was on probation for a 2003 methamphetamine conviction and was agent, causing Mr. Smith to take a step back and fire, police said. The slug hit Mr. Robinson in the hip and facing new federal drug charges when she died. But cops said there were no signs of drugs, paraphernalia or criminal Bounty hunter guilty in slaying of severed an artery. A day after the shooting, homicide activity in her West Hollywood home. “There was nothing to indicate foul play of any kind. We don’t really know fugitive Judge rules agent grossly detectives searched the residence and found a nail anything,” L.A. County Sheriff’s Lt. Donnie Mauldin said. Toxicology tests are under way to determine if any drug or negligent in suspect's death clipper they said might have been wielded by Mr. substance played a role in her death, said Lt. Cheryl MacWillie, a spokeswoman for the L.A. county coroner. “There Robinson. Because of the lack of regulations, Judge were no injuries to the body. She did not drown. She was never under water,” she said. The ex-fashion model, who Tuesday, December 06, 2005 Manning said that he will not sign court orders for By Jim McKinnon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recovery agents unless they show that they have training traded runway glam for a dangerous job hunting bail jumpers, died the night of June 27th. After an early career as a A judge yesterday found a fugitive recovery agent guilty required by police, or an agent is accompanied by a Ford model, Harvey, whose mother was Vogue model Pauline Stone, decided to strike out on her own, working as a of involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a certified police officer. nightclub manager, a ranch hand and for the Fire Department before joining a bail bonds agency in 1994.

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