Bail Bondsman Gets 3 Years in Corruption Case

A Los Angeles judge Monday sentenced a Van Nuys bail bondsman to three years and four months in state prison as part of a statewide investigation into alleged corruption in the bonding industry.

Carlos MacPherson -- while working for Paco’s Bail Bonds in Van Nuys in 2002 -- arranged a $1.56-million bail for Carlos Alberto Hernandez, who was convicted of attempted murder. Hernandez, who faced life in prison, posted bail and fled, and remains a fugitive.

MacPherson, 30, is the first person to be sentenced as part of the Los Angeles County district attorney’s probe.

Last year, the state Department of Insurance and prosecutors alleged that some bonding companies had been issuing risky bonds with no collateral, enabling hundreds of criminal defendants to go free.

“A licensed bail person doing their job responsibly would have prevented the bail bond from being issued” to Hernandez, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Daniel Baker. MacPherson “never should have written that bail,” he added.

MacPherson, who was unlicensed, was sentenced by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Larry P. Fidler after pleading no contest to felony conspiracy to obstruct justice, perjury and unlawful advertising as a bail agent.

His attorney, Peter Korn, could not be reached for comment.

Not only did Hernandez post no collateral for his bail, but the co-signers on his bond had no assets, Baker said. MacPherson also lied about who paid the premium for Hernandez’s bail, even though state law requires that bondsmen document the identity of payers.

Paco’s Bail Bonds has been shut down, Baker said.

A 42-count indictment returned earlier this year accused Bad Boys Bail Bonds -- one of the biggest bail companies in the state -- of committing perjury on numerous occasions by declaring falsely that the agency had carefully checked the background, records and whereabouts of people to whom it provided bail.

Baker declined to name any other companies that are under investigation.