Search Warrants At Three Bail Bond Companies

Three Mobile County bail bond companies could be facing criminal charges.

Mobile County Sheriff's investigators said the three companies hacked into a sheriff's office computer system and gained an unfair competitive advantage against other companies.
The sheriff's office said the three bail bond companies that were searched were A to Z, Central and Bandit Bail Bonds. Sheriff Sam Cochran said, "These three bonding companies were suspected of illegally accessing certain records in the jail." Sheriff's investigators said they also seized 15 computer hard drives from the businesses.

Cochran said the companies hacked into a restricted area of the sheriff office's computer system.
He said, "They would get personal contact information, people, to notify in case of an emergency with an inmate. They would actually call the inmate's next of kin to try to get that bond for them before they were even thoroughly booked into the jail and before the inmate would have a chance to contact their relatives, or whomever they chose."
News Five tried to talk to officials at the three bail bond companies, but none would have a comment.

Chris McNeil, however, had plenty to say. He's the owner of Metro Bonding and Outlaw Bonding. McNeil said, "Not only is it unfair to us, its unfair to the public, because they're getting information they shouldn't have access to." McNeil said the sheriff's office's website plainly shows you need a password.
He said, "It tells you its restricted and, without those codes, you can't go in there."

McNeil also said some people could find out from a complete stranger that a loved one has been arrested. Giving an example, he said, "You call a grandmother that's already in poor health, call to say, 'Hey your grandson's been arrested for whatever,' and her heart can't stand that, and (she has) a heart attack."

Sheriff Cochran said the investigation has been going on for months, but no decision has been made yet whether criminal charges will be filed.