Bail Agents Held On Kidnapping Charges

SACRAMENTO (AP) -- Two Central Valley bail agents appeared in court Thursday on allegations that they kidnapped at least six of their clients and held them until they paid more money to the business.

Aleo Pontillo, owner of AJ's Bail Bonds in Modesto, is being held along with his office manager on charges of conspiring to commit kidnapping for extortion. They and bail agent Mark Davis are also charged with conspiracy to commit grand theft and violating the state insurance code.

Pontillo, 40, was in Stanislaus County Jail in lieu of $1.5 million bond. Office manager Janelle Llorens, 27, was held on $1 million bond. Davis, 49, was held in lieu of $300,000 bond.

Defense attorney Frank Carson called the investigation a "stupid witch hunt" and predicted Pontillo, Llorens and Davis would be exonerated. He represented all three Thursday and will continue representing Pontillo.

Investigators alleged in a criminal complaint filed Wednesday that from 2006 through 2010, the three defrauded Stanislaus County of bail forfeiture money that should have gone to the county.

"This criminal conspiracy abused those who had already paid a premium bond for their release from jail," state Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said in a statement. "To have them snatched from the street and extorted for additional funds or face the threat of return to jail is abhorrent."

The charges allege the bail agents threatened clients that they would be sent back to jail if they didn't pay additional money above the bail they had already posted. Clients were left handcuffed for hours or threatened with a Taser until they came up with the money, according to the criminal complaint.

The three were arrested Wednesday and did not enter pleas during an initial court appearance on Thursday. They are set for arraignment Monday.

Carson said in a telephone interview that federal prosecutors earlier decided not to bring charges after the FBI first raided Pontillo's office in 2008.

"I think this whole thing is silly," Carson said. "I'm confident that this is all going to be sorted out and eventually either a judge or a jury will see this for what it is."

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)