A Utah Bail Bondsman who brought in a reluctant client back to Ogden may find himself facing felony charges from the Elko District Attorney’s office, said Elko Sheriff’s Lieutenant Marvin Martin Wednesday.
“We have asked the District Attorney’s office to look into this,” Martin said. “We may have kidnapping, burglary, assault and battery to name a few. It was pretty unnecessary all they had to do was give us a call and we would have been there.”
John Hughes was first reported abducted August 20th by Montello resident Ron Tello. According to Tello two men and a woman driving a black SUV broke into his (Tello’s) home chased down and tussled with Hughes and bundled him into their vehicle and drove off.
Elko County Sheriff’s deputies and detectives spent almost a week investigating the incident before finally being told by the Weber County Sheriff’s office that Hughes had been delivered to jail by bail bondsman Tony Blake owner of Ogden’s 2nd Chance Bail Bonds.
Hughes was out on a $6,070 ball relating to a third degree felony arrest for the possession of methamphetamine. In Utah a third degree felonies especially those related to drug crimes are often pled down to a gross misdemeanor or simple misdemeanor with little or no jail time.
After making bail, Hughes did not make court date for sentencing July 31. Instead he went to Montello to work renovating an old camping trailer with Tello.
Hughes failure to appears resulted in a warrant for his arrest as well as confiscation of his bail which meant 2nd Chance bail bonds had to make good on a little over $6,000 to the court. The bail forfeiture proceeding was initiated on August 8th.
According to Ely Bail bondsman Bob Bartlett, the Ogden company could have had problems making up the loss to the court especially if Hughes had put up property for collateral.
“Getting Hughes back and then their money was certainly their motivation,” Bartlett said. “They just went about it the wrong way. Every time I have gone after a bail skip I always notify the local law enforcement. At worst they will tell me I am on my own but often especially in rural areas they will show up to keep the peace. Sometimes their very presence helps calm every one down. It is very important to be on good relations with them and show them courtesy.”
In an interview with the High Desert Advocate Wednesday night, Blake said that he did not know Montello had no police force of its own and was under the jurisdiction of Elko county.
“We were told by our informant that Ron Tello ran the town, kind of like the boss,” Blake said. “Everyone seemed real nice when we drove in. We found Hughes working on an old trailer with a claw hammer. When he saw me he started swinging it and then took off.”
According to Bartlett a police presence also can help preclude a lawsuit against the bondsman by his quarry should force be necessary to bring him in.
“Most of the time people come quietly,” he added. “Even if the guy is wanted and skipped on bail we still treat them with respect. We usually don’t go smashing in doors and running down people like the bounty hunters on television. There are some people who do that. Frankly I think they get off on it but I have found that if you are courteous and respectful you won’t have a lot of problems. Besides the way the laws are now a bail bondsman can get into a whole lot of trouble by using force. It is a big gray area.”
And Blake the Ogden bail bondsman may have entered that gray area when he left Montello.
Already Tello is talking about suing Second Chance Bail Bonds for damages the crew made when capturing Hughes.
“I got broken stuff all over the place,” Tello said. “Not to mention the fact that me and my neighbors in Montello were absolutely terrorized by those bounty hunters.”
Tello also lamented over the fact that with Hughes gone work on refurbishing the trailer had stopped and that he could not sell it.
“What am I supposed to do now?” Tello complained.
Meanwhile Hughes is in the Weber County Jail and not eligible for another bail. His next court date is September 25th.
Ron Tello doesn’t run Montello, Brian Neumann does. As a matter of fact Brian hired Hughes to do some electrical work for him. The Neumann’s run the Store, Motel and numerous rental properties in Montello.
“Not to mention the fact that me my neighbors in Montello were absolutely terrorized by those bounty hunters.”
Most people in Montello were probably terrorized by the bounty hunters wondering if they were after them.
The facts are Mr.Hughes Purposely absconded, avoiding his
responsibilitys. Making him a fugitive. That means Mr. Tello has been harbering a fugitive. Isn’t that a crime in its slef. Maybe he should do background checks before he hires someone.mr tello might be somebody out there in that little hoedunk town and have a little pull with the locol police but facts are facts and mr tello is lucky his ass isn’t in ther with him . any one who thinks the bounty hunters are in the wrong for doing there job is nuts. john is also very lucky because when you dont show for cort and takeoff to some small town in the middel of nowere its another crime its called bail jumpping and it is a felony .so i gess if your a felon and need a places to hide run your ass to mr tello house hes got a job open for ya
BEING FAMILIAR WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, I SEE NO CRIME COMMITTED BY THE BOUNTY HUNTERS, IN ACTUALITY ,I BELIEVE MR HUGHES SHOULD BE GRATEFUL , THAT THE AGENTS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN SAFELY APPREHENDING THEIR FUGITIVE WITH MINIMAL FORCE AND NO SHOTS FIRED. IN THE PAST, MOST CONVICTS STEALING IN EXCESS OF 6500.00 USUALLY ARRIVE 3 DAYS LATE AND PEELED BACK LIKE THE TOWN OF MONTELLO.I HAVE SEEN MUCH WORSE OUTCOMES OVER THE YEARS,AND LIKE RON TELLOS TRAILER, THE SURE ARE UGLY. . I COMMEND THE AGENTS FOR A JOB WELL DONE, THANK YOU FINE GENTLEMEN I ONLY WISH WE MORE AGENTS LIKE YOURSELVES.
I did NOT know John was a fugitive. I had planned his move to here 8 months ago after I paid his court fines. The case against him is bogus.
I know too much. I know nothing.
I laugh. Ron Tello is no more than a resident with a mini-bike and a Harley Davidson attitude. His idea of being a good citisen in this small town is bringing in Meth heads and distributers and acting like he is ‘out’ anything just cracks me up. My family has resided there for 40 years. Mr. Tello can be,well, a joke, and they really do not need anyone with his way of thinking there anymore. He is welcome and comfortable with methheads in Ogden, why come back? At all?
Dont make me have to come over there
to sort this out
This is the result when there is a lack of Pluto pups and Pepsi Max in the community !
BTW Tello I’m revoking ya membership to the 3 Amigo’s organization till ya clean up the mess you left in the toilet after the last 3 Amigo’s AGM !
Yer a real sweetheart, Jack. John Oswald. If ya had THE FACTS, you would know something. How about asking me first before ya go off the stupid end? Demonizing me does nothing.
I did real business in Ogden, where I met John. He was in a bad place, I offered him refuge. He’s a brilliant scientist in mechanics and electricity. I hired him to build alternative electric generators. Sure, he lied by omission, and for that I’m not happy about it.I might have to sell his tool crib and its contents to recover my losses.
Has anybody ever helped you out in a bad spot? I do. And I get burned. So what?
I’m a better man for it. So take your hate somewhere else. Please. It’s too dumb and too late.
I think you area all being hard on Mr.Ron Tello. Do you really know him? Do you have your facts correct and can prove his credibility? No employer would hire a felon on the run. No true friend would even house a fugitive knowing he would be in trouble with the law or put his life in danger Its illegal to hire a fugitive. Business professionals don’t operate in illegal manners Besides, Ron seems like a nice guy seeking workers to help him in his business and surviving in this cruel world. John Elder said…Most people in Montello were probably terrorized by the bounty hunters wondering if they were after them. This statement is totally uncalled for. Unless you know for a fact, then your opinion needs to be kept to yourself. Everyone has a choice of where they can live or want to live. Some people are in a hard financial burden and it may be the only area they can afford. Maybe they like to be out where the population is not overcrowded. At least the people with a heart are giving and caring of others. Mr. Tello, don’t listen to the rude remarks others have said, they are not humans with the kindness you show.
**correction*** I think you are all being….
Sorry DI. I didn’t mean to offend Mr Tello. I don’t know him. I pass through Montello on a regular basis and the guy who owns the store can be a real jerk to his customers sometimes. He seems to always have a drunk or druggie working for him on his store or Motel. Your right I should have not passed judgment on the whole town just because of what I see go on at the Store and Motel.
Detective Polowsinski, the comments you have made on this public forum are of a personal nature and without due respect for the position you occupy. There is a duty of care that must be carried out towards the public (general and also most particularly towards the inhabitants of the county over which you exercise jurisdiction) by those occupying state or official positions with such responsibilities either implicitly or explicitly contained within the description of the position.
I am disappointed by the unnecessary ‘flavour’ of your comment concerning ‘Ron Tello’s trailer’. Coming from an official in your position, it gives rise to a most unpleasant perception by the public that you are using public media and the authority inherent in your work to aim obloquy at an individual whom it appears has not damaged or affronted you.
As to whether or not Mr Ron Tello had knowledge of Mr John Hughes’ history and the charges outstanding against him, that can certainly not be assumed from anything posted within this article or as I understand it from anything contained within the body of evidence or charges laid before the courts in this case.
As such, public accusations (either perspicuous or merely allusive) may well become cause for action re defamation.
Finally, as to Mr John Hughes, it is to be hoped that the gentleman in question will take the opportunity of his current situation to set his course in a new direction that will make his life something admirable and worthy of his potential, both as regards ethics and as regards financial and career stability.
I will close by agreeing with the comment made by Lieut. Marvin Martin: that it would have been best had the bounty hunters followed comme il faut protocol and thus avoided an infelicitous tinge to the event and its week-long aftermath with an avoidable waste of police resources.
Listen you knockers. Leave dear Ron Tello alone. He is a delightful gentleman who wouldn’t hurt a fly and is loved by people all over the world (literally)
Luv ya Ron!
Di, everyone has a right to there opinion so get off everyone else ass for having one also.do you believe that yours is the only one that really matters. montello is more than likely full of people running from the law,so ya that comment was probabaly true.
A further comment apropros our client:
Mr Jack Greening, perhaps a more amiable outlook towards Mr Ron Tello would be germane; while neither obligatory nor enforceable, it seems not altogether appurtenant considering certain instances of assistance which this office is aware of having been extended by Mr Ron Tello, instances which we are for reasons of discretion unable to explicate. We can however suggest that while Mr Ron Tello is scarcely to be considered an angel, he is an individual who has shown and continues to show kindness and helpfulness, and that examples of such are both recent and specifically pertinent to you. Hence it behooves those who publish statements concerning Mr Ron Tello, statements which are disseminated both nationally and internationally as this media page is viewable worldwide, to ensure that their words are fair and reasonable.
I would further add a mathematical argument: that is, (∃x ∈ S : φ(x)) → (∀x ∈ S : φ(x)).
This expresses mathematically that ‘guilt by association’ is a tenuous concept, and has no validity in law. It is indefensible to taint an individual on the basis of where they live, or to make am argumentum ad hominem in which it is stated (without evidence) that ‘more than likely’ a particular town is ‘full of people running from the law’; a viewpoint that, if it were supported by statistics (and this would be self-evidently difficult thus to support, as it is not likely that fugitives from justice would be registered as such), would still not justify a blanket condemnation over the residents of the town, nor justify a specific condemnation of a particular individual unless that condemnation were supported by evidence duly processed (or processable) by law.
With that in mind, we suggest (again) that specific condemnations be avoided.
And now, as we all know who is the REAL villian in all this, I say
“The Bounty Hunters shouldda hit John harder.”
He’s a TweekRat, no denying it now.
I trust Americans and they shine in the Darkness. I have a ditty to share:
http://www.ozroundtable.com/index.php?topic=7637.new#new
Great to see Ron recieving support, support that Ron often and openly offers to those who have fallen on hard times.
Our world is a better place thanks to the likes of Tello..hey cut the guy some slack and rejoice in what you have, its to easy to burn good folk, just look at your daily newspapers..Cheers Tello and remember its like a Xmas gift.. to be able to keep on giving 😉