MAN CHARGED WITH ACTING AS BAIL AGENT WITHOUT A LICENSE AND SOLICITING INMATE
Defendant also charged with identity theft for unlawful use of legitimate bail
bondsman's license number
SANTA ANA - A man has been charged with acting as a bail bonds agent without a
license by plotting with three co-defendants to solicit inmates as clients from
Orange County Jail. Ernesto Perez, 36, Burbank, is charged with 21 felony counts
of negotiating bail without a license and 16 felony counts of identity theft. If
convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 27 years in state prison. Perez was
arraigned today and is being held on $150,000 bail. He is scheduled for a
pre-trial hearing March 23, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-57, Central
Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Three co-defendants are currently in custody for other unrelated crimes and
their bail in this case is to be determined. They are scheduled to be arraigned
April 12, 2011, in Department C-57, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Jonathan Thomas Campos, 27, is charged with two felony counts of violation of
bail license regulations and two felony counts of soliciting bail without a
license. He faces a maximum of five years in state prison if convicted. Jason
Anthony Gatewood, 22, is charged with two felony counts of violation of bail
license regulations and five felony counts of soliciting bail without a license.
He faces a maximum of seven years in state prison if convicted. Mark Ward, 47,
is charged with one felony count of violation of bail license regulations and
two felony counts of soliciting bail without a license. He faces a maximum of
four years and four months in state prison if convicted.
In regards to Perez, California law prohibits any person from negotiating the
execution or delivery of bail unless they are a bail bonds licensee. If Perez
had been a licensed bail bondsman, his actions would still be criminal.
California law prohibits bail bond licensees from unlawfully soliciting bail
business from any inmate or incarcerated person to protect them from undue
influence during a vulnerable time in their lives. In regards to Campos,
Gatewood, and Ward, California law prohibits any person without a bail bonds
license from arranging for the bail of another for compensation or receiving
commission for a bail transaction.
Between Aug. 5, 2010, and Feb. 24, 2011, defendants Campos, Gatewood, and Ward
were in custody in the Orange County Jail. During this time, Perez is accused of
plotting with his three co-defendants for them to solicit other in-custody
inmates to contact Perez to provide their bail. The defendant was employed by
Plotkin Bail Bonds but is not a licensed bail bondsman.
On 21 occasions, Perez is accused of acting as a bail bondsman without a license
by negotiating with inmates to post their bail. Campos, Gatewood, and Ward are
accused of receiving payment from Perez in the form of money posted to their
jail accounts in exchange for the illegal solicitations on behalf of Perez.
On 16 occasions during this time period, Perez is also accused of illegally
using a legitimate bail bond license number belonging to a licensed bail
bondsman from Bakersfield without the victim's knowledge or consent. Perez is
accused of using this stolen license number to log in to an Orange County
Sheriff's Department database accessible only to licensed bail bondsmen to look
up inmate bail information.
The investigation is ongoing. Deputy District Attorney Brock Zimmon of the
Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.
bondsman's license number
SANTA ANA - A man has been charged with acting as a bail bonds agent without a
license by plotting with three co-defendants to solicit inmates as clients from
Orange County Jail. Ernesto Perez, 36, Burbank, is charged with 21 felony counts
of negotiating bail without a license and 16 felony counts of identity theft. If
convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 27 years in state prison. Perez was
arraigned today and is being held on $150,000 bail. He is scheduled for a
pre-trial hearing March 23, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-57, Central
Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Three co-defendants are currently in custody for other unrelated crimes and
their bail in this case is to be determined. They are scheduled to be arraigned
April 12, 2011, in Department C-57, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Jonathan Thomas Campos, 27, is charged with two felony counts of violation of
bail license regulations and two felony counts of soliciting bail without a
license. He faces a maximum of five years in state prison if convicted. Jason
Anthony Gatewood, 22, is charged with two felony counts of violation of bail
license regulations and five felony counts of soliciting bail without a license.
He faces a maximum of seven years in state prison if convicted. Mark Ward, 47,
is charged with one felony count of violation of bail license regulations and
two felony counts of soliciting bail without a license. He faces a maximum of
four years and four months in state prison if convicted.
In regards to Perez, California law prohibits any person from negotiating the
execution or delivery of bail unless they are a bail bonds licensee. If Perez
had been a licensed bail bondsman, his actions would still be criminal.
California law prohibits bail bond licensees from unlawfully soliciting bail
business from any inmate or incarcerated person to protect them from undue
influence during a vulnerable time in their lives. In regards to Campos,
Gatewood, and Ward, California law prohibits any person without a bail bonds
license from arranging for the bail of another for compensation or receiving
commission for a bail transaction.
Between Aug. 5, 2010, and Feb. 24, 2011, defendants Campos, Gatewood, and Ward
were in custody in the Orange County Jail. During this time, Perez is accused of
plotting with his three co-defendants for them to solicit other in-custody
inmates to contact Perez to provide their bail. The defendant was employed by
Plotkin Bail Bonds but is not a licensed bail bondsman.
On 21 occasions, Perez is accused of acting as a bail bondsman without a license
by negotiating with inmates to post their bail. Campos, Gatewood, and Ward are
accused of receiving payment from Perez in the form of money posted to their
jail accounts in exchange for the illegal solicitations on behalf of Perez.
On 16 occasions during this time period, Perez is also accused of illegally
using a legitimate bail bond license number belonging to a licensed bail
bondsman from Bakersfield without the victim's knowledge or consent. Perez is
accused of using this stolen license number to log in to an Orange County
Sheriff's Department database accessible only to licensed bail bondsmen to look
up inmate bail information.
The investigation is ongoing. Deputy District Attorney Brock Zimmon of the
Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.
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