I copied this from the following website... I have not checked it out, but post it here for your interest... I will comment on it later... got to go do a bond.................
The Criminal Justice Reform CoalitionVIRGINIA BAIL AGENT ARRESTED FOR THREATENING JUDICIAL OFFICERSVincent D. Rera, a licensed Virginia bail agent, was arrested yesterday, January 26, 2012, on charges of extortion, stalking, and threatening to maim or kill government officials. The charges stem from allegations that Mr. Rera threatened judicial officers in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Mr. Rera was taken into custody by law enforcement on warrants issued in New Kent County, Virginia, and was brought by law enforcement to the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail. Mr. Rera is currently being held without bond on these charges.
The Criminal Justice Reform Coalition joins the Unity Bail Alliance, the state association of Virginia bail agents, in calling for an investigation into whether or not Mr. Rera's bail bond license should have been previously suspended or revoked.
Mr. Rera has previously been charged with crimes involving threats of violence in the course of conducting business as a bail agent. Furthermore, several known complaints from within the bail industry have been filed with the Department of Criminal Justice Services about Mr. Rera over the past 2 years. The Department of Criminal Justice Services holds authority to regulate bail agents in Virginia, and consumers have a right to be afforded protection from individuals who would potentially misuse or abuse their bail bond license.
Mr. Rera is certainly innocent until proven guilty, but the question of whether his license should have been suspended is a regulatory one and is independent of Court action. Virginia bail agents have spent the last three years advocating for and advancing legislation which strengthens regulations on their industry in order to protect consumers and rid the industry of miscreant players and bad practices. As eager as Virginia bail agents may be to strengthen these regulations, doing so is pointless if the regulatory agency charged with enforcing them fails to perform these basic functions of responsibility.
Even today, as of 10AM on January 27, 2012, Mr. Rera is still a licensed bail bondsman in Virginia according to the website of the Department of Criminal Justice Coalition. Technically, Mr. Rera could post bond for the release of his cell mate. The bail industry, advocates for proactive change in the criminal justice system, and all Virginians deserve better than this from any regulatory agency.
The Criminal Justice Reform Coalition has sent a letter, dated January 27, 2012, to the Virginia Secretary of Public Safety asking for a comprehensive investigation into whether this bail license should have been previously suspended. The Criminal Justice Reform Coalition is also supporting an effort by the Unity Bail Alliance to create an internal disciplinary review committee within the bail industry to collect complaint data and make recommendations to the Department of Criminal Justice Services concerning issues of violations of regulations or laws by bail agents in the Commonwealth. The vast majority of Virginia bail agents are responsible professionals who provide a critical service within our criminal justice system. This industry has taken the task of internal regulation and reform seriously, and the Criminal Justice Reform Coalition supports such actions as the bail industry works to protect consumers and rid the industry of bad practices such as those charged in the warrants against Mr. Rera.
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The Criminal Justice Reform Coalition is an education and outreach organization focused on advancing the cause of judicial reform at the state and federal levels, in an effort to reduce jail populations and reform the sentencing process to reduce recidivism and rehabilitate offenders. You can obtain more information about the CJRC by visiting our web site at
http://www.criminaljusticereformcoalition.com.
