State suspends company on allegations of abuse

Friday, June 12, 1998 | 12:29 p.m.

Acting on a complaint filed June 5, the Nevada Division of Insurance has temporarily suspended the license of All Star Bonding Inc.

The complaint marks the second time in two years that actions of All Star employees have drawn the scrutiny of state regulators or law enforcement.

The state suspended the licenses of bail agents Angela D. Mayfield, James L. Lyon, Nathan Maldonado and George Garcia pending a July 13 hearing before a state administrative hearing officer. All Star is challenging Commissioner Alice Molasky-Arman's temporary suspension, and if that challenge proves successful it could jeopardize the July hearing.

"I consider this situation to pose a danger to the public," Molasky-Arman said Wednesday.

The complaint claims several improprieties by All Star and its agents. In one case, the complaint said Las Vegan Max Guitierrez was taken into custody, though records indicate he had met his obligations to All Star.

Also, the complaint contends Maldonado forced his way into the apartment of a female acquaintance of Guitierrez's, then pressed a firearm to the back of Guitierrez's head. Guitierrez was taken to a business office and told he had to pay Maldonado additional money for his bail bond, plus money for picking him up.

"When Guitierrez, lacking the amount of money requested by Maldonado, failed to pay him, Maldonado surrendered Guitierrez to a jail facility," the complaint said.

In another incident, All Star client Ricky Lee Grundy was detained at gunpoint by Maldonado and Lyon even though Grundy had met his obligations to the company, according to the complaint. Grundy was taken to an office and ordered to pay All Star for a van he had purchased from the company outside his bail transaction.

"After being threatened with surrender to a jail facility by Maldonado, Grundy signed two vehicle transfer powers of attorney," the complaint said.

Grundy was not allowed to leave the bail office and was threatened with a firearm, state officials contend.

"Maldonado pointed his gun at Grundy, aimed it between Grundy's eyes and stated to Grundy that he had a bullet with Grundy's name on it," according to the complaint.

Maldonado is accused of not being truthful in his application for his bail agent license. He also is accused of initially refusing to check his weapon while at the Clark County Detention Center.

The Las Vegas attorney representing All Star, Dominic Gentile, said Wednesday that the information the government used as the basis for the complaint is suspect.

"The complaints are based on perjured affidavits and we will prove that," Gentile said.