A news story out of Orlando, Florida caught my attention this week. It involved the Sex Crimes unit of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, where I used to work and a bail bond agent, my current position.

An Orlando bail bond agent was arrested for sexual battery upon a female he had bonded out. He called the woman to demand more collateral for her bond. She and her husband appeared at the bondsman’s office and the husband left to get more cash and the title to their vehicle. While the husband was gone, he threatened to revoke her bond unless she had sex with him. Not wanting to go back to jail, she complied.

When her husband returned, they completed the paperwork for the bond and left. She told her husband of the threatened revocation and sex. She then reported the incident to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies believe that there will be more victims coming forward as a result of the reporting of this incident.

I’ve written before about some of the unethical behavior of some bail agents and this is a clear example of abuse of power. Bail Agents are given tremendous authority over those they have out on bail and one must be very careful in selecting a bail agent. The industry has it’s share of bottom-feeders who offer low initial rates and later try and squeeze more money or other favors from those on bail.

Bail is a service business. Good service is seldom cheap…cheap service is seldom good.

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