Kern County Public Defender’s Office Investigated on Bail Bonds

According to papers filed with the Kern County Superior Court, an investigator for the Kern County Public Defender’s Office is being investigated himself for allegedly misusing the computerized Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS).

The investigator, Dave Brown, reportedly used CJIS to search for information about defendants he was not asked to look for. From the investigation, it was discovered that Brown would invoice Kern County bail bonds companies after gathering the defendants’ information, specifically Aladdin Bail Bonds and Liberty Bail Bonds. Invoices directly from Brown would be for “investigative hours” and “fugitive recovery.”

According to the search warrants, some of the six defendants that Brown investigated were clients of the Public Defender’s office while the others were not. The attorneys who represent the other clients stated that they did not request Brown to investigate their clients.

Public Defender Arthur Titus brought this case to law enforcement when he grew suspicious after an audit of Brown’s computer. The search found invoices which, Titus believed, are from outside employment.

Brown has retained an attorney and refused to comment. Titus has also declined to comment, as this is a personnel issue.

Along with Dave Brown, the two bail bonds companies were also named in the search warrants for the investigation: Liberty Bail Bonds and Aladdin Bail Bonds.

Terry Fowler, owner of Liberty Bail Bonds said, “I’m not sure what that’s all about, but I’d just as soon not comment.”

No one could be reached at the Aladdin Bail Bonds agency.

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