Man charged with negotiating bail bonds without a bail bonds license

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: July 16, 2014

Case # 14CF2042

MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR NEGOTIATING BAIL BONDS WITHOUT HAVING BAIL BONDS LICENSE

SANTA ANA – A 30-year-old man will be arraigned tomorrow for negotiating bail bonds without being licensed. Derek Leslie O’Lear, San Bernardino, is charged with four felony counts of undertaking bail without a license. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in Orange County jail. The defendant received an arraignment letter and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, July 17, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

In 2011, O’Lear is accused of working at Bail Hotline Bail Bonds in Santa Ana without having a bail bonds license. California Law prohibits any person from negotiating the execution or delivery of bail unless they are a bail bonds licensee. While employed at Bail Hotline Bail Bonds, the defendant is accused of being tasked with answering the phones when individuals called about bail.

On four separate occasions between October 2011 and November 2011, O’Lear is accused of negotiating the terms of bail bonds agreements with four separate inmates.

This case was investigated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputy District Attorney Brock Zimmon of the Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.

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Tony Rackauckas, District Attorney
401 Civic Center Drive West
Santa Ana, CA 92701

Contacts:

Susan Kang Schroeder
Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718

Farrah Emami
Spokesperson
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486