Bail Bondsmen Upset With Wake County Jail System

Bondsman Carlyle Poindexter said Wake County jailers are not accepting many people who skip bail.

"Several times over the last 12 to 18 months, we've had problems surrendering defendants back to court," Poindexter said. "It could be for any reason, to say we're not just going to take him."

It is a complaint other bail bondsmen have too.

"I don't know why they'd want to turn a convicted felon on the street when he's supposed to be prosecuted and in jail," bondsman Darrell Ryals said.

Ryals said he drove to Burlington to pick up Stan Antonio Simmons on felony drug charges. The jail would not admit Simmons because officials said his case number was one digit off.

"I stayed down there from 8 o'clock to 12:30 at night trying to get the jailhouse to take him in and they simply would not do it," Ryals said.

Bondsmen claim other times, fugitives make up medical conditions such as an upset stomach and the jail won't accept them. Since bondsmen have no choice to let a fugutive free, the accused criminal may never go to court and bondsmen have to foot the bill for any unpaid bail.

"These are dangerous people. They are not your everyday Joe Blow. They're somebody that's dangerous that they're turning back on the street," Ryals said.

Wake County Sheriff John Baker did not return calls to WRAL about the story, but his chief deputy said they have never gotten any complaints about this. Bondsmen said they have complained to the sheriff. The deputy sheriff said he will look into the matter.