A Durham man suspected of playing a role in a stolen car theft ring walked out of jail on a $3,000 bond despite facing more than 100 charges in several counties.
After WRAL Investigates started asking questions about the case, he was arrested again on more charges, including operating a vehicle chop shop at his Durham home.
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WRAL Investigates reported last year on a car theft ring that tied back to apartments at Fenton in Cary.
A search warrant showed investigators found a key scanner, several keys from high-end cars and a 3D printer. It also noted a tipster said the case was tied to a stolen car ring.
Police say Joshua Cole lived there, but got away after leading them on a chase in a stolen Mercedes.
Now, agencies in Wake, Durham, Chatham and Catawba counties say Cole has been causing even more problems, racking up 106 charges in roughly the last year.
It includes accusations of various driving offenses along with charges of stealing cars and trailers, and breaking into boat and RV storage units.
WRAL Investigates started asking questions after Cole was arrested June 5 in Durham, accused of stealing a Dodge Charger.
Despite his history, a judge set his bond at just $3,000.
“I probably would’ve set a bond higher than $3,000, unless it was recommended by the DA or the assistant DA in the case," retired judge Carl Fox told WRAL Investigates after we asked about the process.
The district attorney told WRAL Investigates the assistant in that courtroom could not remember what they recommended.
“Judges can make their own decisions on what the bond can be in those situations,” Fox added.
So WRAL Investigates emailed Judge Amanda Maris to ask why she chose that amount.
Maris said she set a bond based on the information she had, including the types of crimes involved in the latest case, writing “I see that the offenses are non-violent, property crimes and class H felonies ... The presumptive bond guidelines generally suggest $2,500 for a Class H felony.”
State prison records show Cole was convicted in May for felony breaking and entering and stealing in Catawba County, but only got probation.
Within days of us asking questions about his release, Cole was arrested again in Durham on 15 new charges. According to warrants, he had a chop shop at his home used to dismantle stolen cars.
This time around, his bond in Durham for all those new charges was set at $35,000 on top of another bond in Wake County for violating probation.
Fox admitted while there are guidelines for setting bond amounts, it can be an inexact science.
“Judges are quite often confronted by a lot of conflicting information and are just trying to make the best decision they possibly can,” Fox said
WRAL Investigates also reached out to Cole’s attorney on the charges from his June 5 arrest and $3,000 bond.
Ben Hiltzheimer told WRAL, “With respect to Mr. Cole, he is presumed to be innocent and his bond was set within the applicable guidelines.”