Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Amanda Butterfield Reporting"'Was he surprised to see you?' Oh yeah!"
This man tried to skip out on the justice system today by ditching his court appearance and he almost got away, but a bounty hunter caught him.
"I heard he failed to this morning, seen him on TV, Channel 5."
He didn't appear in court today. Even his lawyers didn't know where he was. But when a bondsman saw the report on Eyewitness News, he called in a Bounty Hunter.
Police say Guy Sparks molested a neighbor girl. Tonight he's in jai. Arrested and booked not by police, but by a bounty hunter.
Guy Sparks was a wanted man. Accused of sexually molesting a young neighbor girl, he was due in court this morning and expected to enter a plea but he never showed. A few hours later he was caught.
Steve, Hi and Mikes Bail Bonds: "I heard that he failed to appear on court, seen him on TV and we went and got him."
Steve works with Hi and Mikes Bail bonds and loaned Sparks his bond.
Steve, Hi and Mikes Bail Bonds: "Someone gets thrown in jail. They have to post a bond to get out so they call a bail bondsmen. He was out on a 100-thousand dollar bond with me, personally."
While watching Eyewitness News at noon today, Steve learned Sparks ditched out, and if Sparks got away that would have meant Steve would be the 100-thousand dollars bond. So he called Mistic, a bounty hunter.
Mistic, American Protection Bail Enforcement: "We catch them a lot quicker than the police department because it takes them time to get warrants, and they're not actively looking for them. We are."
Mistic is one of only four women in the state who looks for fugitives that skip out on bail. Bounty hunters are licensed and have the power to make arrests. One way they differ from police is they aren't working for the city or county, they are working for bail bondsmen, but the outcome of their job is similar.
Mistic, American Protection Bail Enforcement: "My kids look at it and say, 'You're doing a good thing. You're keeping the drug people off the ground.'"
Is it a dangerous job for this mother, sure.
Mistic, American Protection Bail Enforcement: "Some of them are scary, some aren't, but our key thing is element of surprise."
They sure did surprise Sparks. Now Steve will get his money back.
Steve, Hi and Mikes Bail Bonds: "Saved me a hundred thousand today."
With Guy Sparks in custody, there's no way he can skip out on his next court date. Sparks also had other pending cases, including domestic violence in the presence of a child and violating a protective order.
It's likely a judge will not release him out on bail again.
