A local bondsman had his court privileges pulled after being charged with accepting drugs as payment for making bail.
The bondsman, Gary Powell, who made bonds for both Driver Bonding and B&B Bonds, had his bonding privileges stripped by Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley as a result of a recent indictment of him and his son, Gary Kip Powell, who was indicted on unrelated drug charges.
Both are free on bond, which was made by Free Bird Bonding, after waiving their arraignment through their attorney, the law firm of Galligan & Newman. They have both been given Oct. 24 appearance dates before Judge Stanley.
The senior Powell is charged with three counts of delivery of dihydrocodeinone, while his son is charged with delivery of Oxycodone.
According to Sheriff Jackie Matheny, the senior Powell is charged for allegedly accepting medications, specifically hydrocodone, instead of payment for bail bonds he was making. Investigators sent an agent undercover to offer drugs in lieu of money for bail bonds after hearing rumor of Powell’s alleged barter system.
Transactions of drugs for bond, in what amounted to a reverse sting since Powell was not selling drugs but instead accepting them as payment, happened on three occasions regarding the senior Powell. His son faces one count.
The senior Powell had worked as a bondsman for years.