Three Houston residents have been found guilty of participating in a scheme to fraudulently secure the release of Harris County inmates using falsified bail bond documents.
Wednesday, federal prosecutors announced the convictions of Kamaiga Gholar, 31, James Bateson, 46, and Katherine O’Brien, 26, of conspiracy and wire fraud following a week-long bench trial.
Recommended Videos
The ruling was issued last month on Oct. 15, but the formal announcement was delayed due to the federal government shutdown that was in place at the time.
The three were among those arrested in a large-scale operation targeting the scheme that led to dozens of arrests.
Prosecutors said Gholar, Bateson and O’Brien conspired between Sept. 2020 and Jan. 2022 to manipulate Harris County’s bail bond system. They did this by submitting falsified pay stubs to help inmates qualify for bonds.
Many of the inmates the group attempted to bail out of custody faced serious charges, including aggravated assault, firearms offenses, drug trafficking and promoting prostitution.
“This fraudulent scheme attacked the integrity of the bail bond system,” U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei said in a statement.
Defense attorneys argued that because the defendants should not be found guilty because their motives in committing the fraud were not financial. The court disagreed, and all three were found guilty.
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 31. All three were allowed to remain on bond until that hearing.
Each defendant faces up to 20 years in federal prison per count and a possible fine of up to $250,000.
A total of 53 individuals have been charged, and 26 have now been convicted.
Evidence against each defendant
During the trial, the judge reviewed recorded jail calls and heard testimony from company representatives across the country.
The company officials confirmed that people listed as bond co-signers were never their employees, despite contradicting paperwork that was fraudulently submitted.
MORE ON THE SCHEME: 53 indicted in bail bond scheme involving violent offenders in Harris County: Here’s how it worked
Evidence presented during the trials included Gholar’s admission that she knowingly emailed fraudulent pay stubs to facilitate an inmate’s release.
Bateson was linked to a bond he co-signed for an inmate he knew only as his friend’s roommate. Prosecutors alleged that Bateson fabricated the roommate’s employment information to help bail him out.
Investigators also outlined O’Brien’s role in creating false documents, including five hand-written co-signer applications for one inmate. One of those applications stole the identity of O’Brien’s relative, who told prosecutors she never agreed to co-sign.