Bail Bond Companies Indicted in San Bernardino

Fifteen people were indicted last week in San Bernardino for illegal kickback schemes which involved several bail bond companies. Most defendants were indicted on December 6, 2007, by a special criminal grand jury who originally charged them back in 2004.

According to the indictment, these people worked for Boone's Bail Bonds, Arzate Bail Bonds, and the Bail Hotline. The son of the former San Bernardino County Sheriff Floyd Tidwell was involved as well!

John Barnett, a high profile Orange County attorney representing Shirley Tidwell, said that he was not surprised by the indictment and that his client would be vindicated of the charges.

Over thirty people were charged with the bail bond investigation in 2004 and many accepted plea agreements. Those who fought the charges were eventually indicted last week.

Brothers Released On Million Dollar Bail Bonds

Winslow Norton and Abraham Norton were released from the Alameda County Jail early this morning on federal criminal charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, distributing the drug and money laundering.

The defendants both posted a million dollar bail bond each for their release. The bail bonds are secured by the Nortons' mother's house in Berkeley.

Prosecutors say the brothers made $26 million from the operation in the first six months of 2007, owned Mercedes Benzes and established $67,000 individual retirement accounts for themselves.

They each face a total of 23 counts in a federal grand jury indictment, including 18 counts of money laundering.

Harold Rosenthal, a lawyer for Winslow Norton said they ran a bona fide dispensary, helping people with bona fide medical problems. Their principal sin seems to be making money. The penalty for making too much money is to pay a lot of taxes.