Saturday, February 27, 2010

Bail Bondsman Paid To Have Court Records Changed

Alicia Bell, 36, Wichita, Kan., has pleaded guilty to one count of bribery, U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch said today.

Bell admitted that while working as a bondsman agent from 2005 to 2008 she paid Wichita city employee and co-defendant Kaylene “Katie” Pottorff to alter data in the computerized records system of the Wichita Municipal Court. The changes were made to ensure the court did not collect forfeitures of certain bonds from Bell’s employer, AAA Bail Bonds.

Bell is set for sentencing May 13, 2010. She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

Co-defendants Pottorff and Jessie Garland are scheduled for jury trial May 11, 2010.

Welch commended the Wichita Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson for their work on the case.