3 Guilty in Conspiracy to Illegally Solicit Bail
A son of San Bernardino County’s former sheriff was among three defendants who pleaded guilty Wednesday to using inmates to solicit bail.
Steven Wayne Tidwell, son of former San Bernardino County Sheriff Floyd Tidwell, and Joseph Allen Lash each pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to illegally solicit bail.
Tidwell’s wife, Karole, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges related to the crime, according to Deputy Dist. Atty. Cheryl Kersey.
The trio were among 19 people charged in January with conspiracy, extortion, solicitation of bail by jail inmates and insurance code violations.
The charges against the other defendants, including Daniel “Boone” Tidwell, another son of the former sheriff, are pending.
Kersey said that Steven Tidwell and Lash were involved in a scheme to pay inmates a kickback for referring other prisoners to the bail bond businesses operated by Tidwell.
As a result of their pleas, all three will lose their bail licenses, pay restitution and receive three years’ probation.
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