Recovering a Skip from Florida/ Bonded in Alabama

I'm a newer recovery agent who works for a bonding company in alabama ( not a freelance bounty hunter). Our skip lives just on the other side of the state line in florida. The problem being is that our bondsman is elderly and has know way of arresting fugitives. Normally the bondsman would have to arrest them but that is not possible. Since I am not a freelance and am contracted through the company would I legally be able to make the arrest in FL. If not how should I go about recovering the fugitive?

P.s I have read the Florida State laws, yet I have been told since I'm not a freelance I can legally make the arrest...asking this question to make sure I don't break any laws.

Contract with a reputable Fl. Bondsman to do the actual apprehension, have him meet you at the state line w/your fugitive. Pay the bondsman his fee, take custody of the fugitive, return him/her to jail.

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River City Associates
Decatur, Al. 35601

Bounty hunting is illegal in Florida period.... the only person that can legally hunt in Florida are Florida licensed bail bondsmen or an out of state licensed bondsman who is pursuing his bond skip. You cannot enter Florida as a bail recovery agent. Contact, as Ruffin said, a licensed bondsman in Florida and have him do the deal.

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Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Everything worked out well since I'm contracted under the bonds company. I'm working under their license. Picked the fugitive up yesterday and booked her. Stopped by their local department to let them know we were there and showed them the paper work. They were very helpful.

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Fire Fighter

Several years back I went to Tampa to pick up someone... I took a licensed recovery agent from Virginia with me... I am a licensed bondsman in Virginia and was after one of my skips.... I was approached by two detectives for some unknown reason... I still don't know why, but they ran my plate and determined that I held a CCW but that was what they wanted to know since I had a VA plate.... go figure... I explained why I was in Fl and they told me in no uncertain terms that the fellow with me could not participate in the apprehension... even though he was with me and I was the legally licensed bonding agent... I made no waves and it so happened that my weapon was unloaded in a bag that was inaccessible from my position in the vehicle.... my partner was not carrying.... they let us go but that experience really shook me up because I pride myself in doing it by the book... I am still not totally sure of how they came to stop me because we were not speeding and there was nothing in or on the vehicle that should have alerted them.... ?
They were plainclothes detectives and I checked their credentials very closely.... they checked my paperwork and made a couple of calls but I guess we checked out cause they just let us go.... BTW... I got the skip and got my azz out of Florida rather quickly....

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Just for my info... can you clarify something... are you working for a licensed Florida bondsman or a licensed Alabama bondsman... and you did make the pickup in Florida for an Alabama bondsman.... I am a bit confused... you are "working under their license???" please clarify that... I'm curious.

... also.... "Picked the fugitive up yesterday and booked her" ... booked her in Florida or took her back to Alabama???

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

First, congratulations on picking up your skip. I'm also a little confused. My understanding of the Floridaa Bail Laws is No out of state Bondsman can make a recovery in Florida unless that Bondsman actually wrote the bond. I even contacted a man that has been in this business 30 plus years and lives in Florida and was told that was the only way it could be legally done unless you contract with a licensed Florida agent to make the re-arrest.

I'm not doubting you did exactly what you said you did but I'm still confused.

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Bill Williams
Bail Agent
Eagle Bonding Services
Asheville NC 28804
828-777-8667
Lic # NC10013561
Lic # TN 2033018

Never be haughty to the humble
or humble to the haughty - Jefferson Davis

You have listed no experience... Man I'm really confused. Would appreciate some detail on how this was done.

Thanks in advance and again, congratulations!!

_________________
Bill Williams
Bail Agent
Eagle Bonding Services
Asheville NC 28804
828-777-8667
Lic # NC10013561
Lic # TN 2033018

Never be haughty to the humble
or humble to the haughty - Jefferson Davis

What's the point in asking for advice if you aren't going to follow it ? Only makes us not want to help folks anymore as it is obviously a waste of our time.

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River City Associates
Decatur, Al. 35601

Sounds like Kidnapping (FL Statues) to me ...just saying .. (as I am in FL and Licensed)

Florida Statute 648.30(2)
Explicitly Prohibits bounty hunting within the state, declaring that "no person shall represent himself or herself to be a bail enforcement agent, bounty hunter, or other similar title in [Florida]."

Fugitive Apprehension
Although bounty hunters are not permitted to work in Florida, apprehension of bail fugitives is, in fact, legal in the state, as long as it is done in accordance with Florida Statute 648.30(3), which states that "no person, other than a certified law enforcement officer, shall be authorized to apprehend, detain, or arrest a principal on a bond, wherever issued, unless that person is qualified, licensed, and appointed as provided in this chapter or licensed as a bail bond agent by the state where the bond was written." ARE YOU A LICENSED BAIL BONDSMAN IN ALABAMA ?

In other words, certified professional bondsmen in Florida can apprehend a bail fugitive, but they cannot contract the job out to a professional bounty hunter.

Penalty
Violating any part of the statute governing bail bond agents and bounty hunters is considered a third-degree felony under Florida law, which is punishable by a prison sentence of up to five years. For this reason, it is important to have an understanding of significant differences in laws and regulations between states for anybody who is considering a career in the bail enforcement industry.

FLORIDA STATUTE 648 - FLORIDA BAIL BOND AGENTS == >> http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/ind ... 48.30.html

_________________
JEFF P.
Limited Surety Agent (FL) - License # P_2O8124_
Private Investigator (FL) - License # C_27OOO33_
NABBI Member



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