SANTA ANA – A
bail bond agent was convicted today in an 8-co-defendant scheme to illegally solicit inmates as bail clients from Orange County Jail. Cynthia Cheryl Shirey, 43, pleaded guilty to one felony count each of violating bail license regulations by permitting an unlicensed person to solicit and negotiate bail bonds on her behalf, violating bail license regulations by using a fictitious name to conduct bail bonds business, violating bail license regulations by failing to keep complete records of all business done under the authority of her license, and violating bail license regulations by transmitting to another person a fictitious communication authorizing the solicitation or negotiation of bail. Shirey was sentenced to nine months in jail and will have her bail bonds license revoked by the California Department of Insurance (CDI) as a result of the conviction.
Seven Co-defendants
Ernesto Perez, 37, Burbank, is charged with 49 felony counts of negotiating bail without a license and 56 felony counts of identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 72 years and four months in state prison. Perez is out of custody on $150,000 bail and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing June 25, 2012, in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Richard Anthony Arant, 29, Silverado Canyon, pleaded guilty Nov. 18, 2011, to five felony counts of soliciting bail without a license and two felony counts of violation of bail license regulations. He was sentenced to 16 months in jail. Arant was in custody for misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol and driving on a suspended license (Case #11CM01467).
Jonathan Thomas Campos, 28, Long Beach, pleaded guilty April 29, 2011, to two felony counts of violation of bail license regulations and two felony counts of soliciting bail without a license. He was sentenced June 24, 2011, to two years in state prison for this case. He was sentenced to an additional two years, totaling four years in prison, for two other criminal cases (Case # 09HF1568 and Case #10WF1614), for which he was incarcerated at the time of the bail bonds scheme.
Jason Anthony Gatewood, 24, Fullerton, pleaded guilty Jan. 3, 2012, two felony counts of violation of bail license regulations and four felony counts of soliciting bail without a license. He was sentenced to 240 days in jail and three years of formal probation. At the time of the crime, Gatewood was in custody for felony false imprisonment by violence (Case #10CF1804).
Vaughn Michael Hutchins, 27, San Clemente, pleaded guilty to a court offer July 8, 2011, to four felony counts of soliciting bail without a license and two felony counts of violation of bail license regulations. He was sentenced to one year in jail and three years of formal probation. At the time of the crime, Hutchins was in custody for two felony counts of commercial burglary and misdemeanor providing false information to a police officer (Case #11CF0286).
Frank Matthew Tokeshi, 51, West Covina, pleaded guilty to a court offer Nov. 29, 2011, to four felony counts of soliciting bail without a license and three felony counts of violation of bail license regulations. He was sentenced to two years in state prison. At the time of the crime, Tokeshi was in custody for felony possession for sale of a controlled substance and misdemeanor driving under the influence of drugs (Case #10WF2031).
Mark Ward, 48, Las Vegas, pleaded guilty Oct. 28, 2011, to one felony count of violation of bail license regulations and two felony counts of soliciting bail without a license. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years of formal probation. At the time of the crime, Ward was in custody for felony attempted murder, domestic violence with corporal injury, and residential burglary (Case #10HF1909).
Law Addressing Bail Bond Practices
California law prohibits licensed bail bond agents from soliciting bail business from any inmate or incarcerated person.
The law prohibits any person from negotiating the execution or delivery of bail unless they are a bail bonds licensee. Even for a licensed bail bondsman, California law prohibits bail bond licensees from unlawfully soliciting bail business from any inmate or incarcerated person.
California law prohibits any person without a bail bonds license from soliciting or arranging for the bail of another for compensation or receiving commission for a bail transaction.
Conduct by Defendant Perez and Six Inmate Co-defendants
Between Aug. 5, 2010, and March 15, 2011, defendants Arant, Campos, Gatewood, Hutchins, Tokeshi, and Ward were in custody in the Orange County Jail. During this time, Perez is accused of plotting with these six co-defendants to solicit other in-custody inmates to contact Perez to provide their bail. Perez was employed by Plotkin Bail Bonds but is not a licensed bail bondsman.
On 49 occasions, Perez is accused of acting as a bail bondsman without a license by negotiating with inmates to post their bail. Arant, Campos, Gatewood, Hutchins, Tokeshi, and Ward received payment from Perez in the form of money posted to their jail accounts in exchange for the illegal solicitations on behalf of Perez.
On 56 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 into an Orange County Sheriff’s Department database accessible only to licensed bail bondsmen to look up inmate bail information.
Conduct by Defendant Shirey
Shirey is a licensed bail bond agent who worked with Perez at Plotkin Bail Bonds. She permitted her unlicensed co-defendants to illegally solicit and negotiate bail bonds on her behalf with inmates in the jail. She conducted business under the name Bail Star Bail Bonds without receiving authorization to use the business names by CDI.
When visiting inmates in jail, bail bond agents are required to complete a Bail Bonds Visitation request form. This form is intended to prevent unscrupulous bail bond agents from gaining access to the jail to engage in illegal client recruitment. Shirey filled out false information on this form, claiming that her company had been initially contacted directly by the inmate or inmate’s family, in order to gain access to the jail to speak with inmates who had been illegally solicited as clients by her co-defendants.
Bail bond agents are required by law to keep complete and accurate records of all business done under the authority of their license to be available for inspection. On March 15, 2011, Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) detectives reviewed Shirey’s records. She failed to complete her records and failed to document how the agent or company was initially contacted by several inmates for the purpose of arranging bail.
This case was investigated by OCSD. Deputy District Attorney Brock Zimmon of the Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted this case.
This is case is just another example of how a few can make an entire industry look bad. We do find it refreshing to see the county of Orange being proactive and we hope that other bail agents will see that if they illegally solicit than the hammer of justice will come down!
BELOW IS THE CASE INFORMATION INCLUDING ALL THE CHARGES AND CO-DEFENDANTS.
A man and woman came to the Carson Sheriff's Station lobby Saturday at about noon and told deputies their adult son had just shot at them and their car in front of their home.
The father had a minor wound to his foot as a result of the gunfire, and there was gunfire damage to their car. They added that their son had locked himself in their house and wouldn't let them in.
Deputies arrived at the 40 block of South Camelback in Carson and asked the suspect to step outside. He refused.
More patrol deputies were called to the scene to assist in containing (surrounding) the area.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) Special Weapons and Tactics (SWaT) deputies and a K-9 and handler deputy were called to the scene and arrived soon thereafter.
During the next eight hours, sheriff's deputies continued to try to convince the suspect to surrender. Meanwhile, deputies periodically heard gunfire coming from inside the location that was directed outside. Deputies took cover as fragmented stucco was seen coming out of the exterior walls as the gunfire could be heard inside.
After repeated attempts to try to convince the suspect to step outside and surrender, Special Enforcement Bureau deputies fired tear gas into the home. Tear gas was sent inside three times but the suspect still did not surrender. Later, advanced technology was used by deputies to enter the location and assess the situation. It was determined the suspect was still alive inside the home and that he continued to pose a significant threat to the community and to deputies. The periodic gunfire from the suspect continued.
At about 8:00PM, Special Enforcement Bureau Special Weapons Team deputies and K-9 and deputy handler entered the home. The suspect was found by the sheriff's K-9, who assisted in the arrest.
The suspect was taken to the hospital by ambulance for treatment of K-9 bites as well as a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his upper body. His injuries were not considered to be life threatening.
The suspect is a 31-year old parolee who resided at the home with his parents.
A handgun was recovered inside the home. A more thorough search for additional firearms is taking place.
No deputies were hit by gunfire. Deputies did not shoot their firearms.
The suspect is facing multiple criminal charges including felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon on his parents, as well as Assault with a Deadly Weapon on Peace Officers. He is being held without bail for a parole violation. The criminal investigation is being handled by Carson Sheriff's Station investigators.
On Thursday, June 21, 2012, while having lunch with her children’s paternal grandmother, Suspect Rachel Guerrero left the location with her two male children, ages 21 months and 6 years old. Suspect Guerrero does not have custody of the children and did not have permission to take the children with her.
On Friday, June 22, 2012, Suspect Guerrero agreed to meet and release the children to the maternal grandfather, who has full custody, at a local amusement park, but Suspect Guerrero never showed up.
On Saturday, June 23, 2012, at 1:00 PM, Los Angeles County Department of Children Family Services (DCFS) personnel notified the Carson Sheriff's Station Watch Commander that the children may be in danger because the suspect suffers from mental health issues and it is believed she has a substance abuse problem. Because of this information, this case rose to the status of critical missing. Additional investigation revealed that the suspect may possibly be planning to leave the country with her children and go to the Dominican-Republic. The investigation is ongoing.
Photos have been provided of the missing children and wanted Suspect Rachel Ann Guerrero (alias Rachel Guerro).
Guerrero is 30 years old, female Hispanic, 505-110, black hair, and brown eyes.
Suspect Guerrero frequents the Carson and San Pedro areas.
In July 2009, representatives from several businesses reported to Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station deputies that they had been victimized by Michael Sepehri, the owner of Sepco Publishing, a company based in Santa Clarita. These allegations ultimately led to the felony conviction of Sepehri on July 14th for forging advertising contracts.
The business owners alleged to detectives that they had negotiated a one year advertising contract with Sepehri to advertise in publications that had been in existence since 1996, including:
The Greater Antelope Valley Resource Guide
The Greater Santa Clarita Valley Resource Guide
A dispute arose between Sepehri and the business owners regarding the terms of the contracts. Sepehri contended they had signed multi-year contracts, while the victims adamantly maintained they had only signed one year contracts to advertise.
When the victims refused to pay for the extended terms in the contract, Sepehri threatened civil litigation, and in some cases carried through with this threat. He sued several of the victims, falsely claiming they had signed longer term contracts, and then forcing them into expensive court hearings, where he produced fraudently altered contracts.
During a search of Sepehri’s Santa Clarita home by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Commercial Crimes Bureau investigators in February 2010, hundreds of customer contracts were seized. A forensic analysis of these contracts by the Sheriff’s Department Scientific Services Bureau (Crime lab) concluded that many of the victims contracts had been altered.
A total of 42 victims from throughout the area were identified in this case.
On August 23, 2011, a criminal complaint was filed through the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office against 51-year old Michael Sepehri alleging 52 felony counts (Court case #PA071097). The counts included forgery, grand theft, and attempted grand theft.
Sepehri eventually agreed to a deal in which he was permitted to plead guilty to only two Forgery counts, admit to special allegations regarding excessive victim losses, and agree to pay full restitution to the victims.
On June 14, 2012, Sepehri was sentenced to 120 days in the Los Angeles County jail, 3 years felony probation and was ordered to pay $370,753.97 to 30 victims in the case. The restitution included attorney fees and advertising costs that resulted from the fraud.
There is no evidence to indicate that any of the employees of the business were aware of the fraudulent activity, and investigators believe they were not involved.
On Thursday, June 7, detectives from the Palmdale Station Burglary Suppression Unit, under the direction of lead Detectives Wolanski and Arnold, served a search warrant at 38100 block of 25th Street E, Palmdale. The warrant was the culmination of a six month burglary investigation which included at least six residential burglaries and one church.
Detectives were able to recover some stolen property at the location but the primary suspect was not home. Later in the day, the primary suspect, 20-year-old Sean Taylor, a Palmdale resident, came to the station to speak to detectives. After an interview, he was arrested and charged with receiving stolen property.
There was a second person arrested earlier related to this case, but due to his juvenile status his name is not being released.
Detectives arrest suspect who posed as an Customs Enforcement Agent, and preyed upon undocumented immigrants 
We at All American Bail Bonds ask that if you have any additional information, that would help with the Sheriffs investigation, please contact them immediately. Together we can help put these predators away.
We as bail agents deal with drug users on a regular basis and we have seen that no good can come from the use of illegal narcotics. If you find yourself in a position where drugs have taken over your lives and have lost all control there is still help for you. Please visit the following California state funded web site for more details on you can get on the road to recovery.
Throughout the year 2010, Taskforce for Regional Autotheft Prevention (TRAP) detectives conducted an investigation regarding the theft of numerous classic Mercedes Benz vehicles, committed throughout Los Angeles County. 
