Modesto bail bond business raided
FBI agents, along with members of a local gang task force, served a federal search warrant Tuesday morning at AJ's Bail Bonds in Modesto.
The search began about 7 a.m. at the business at 1325 Yosemite Blvd., just west of La Loma Avenue, said FBI spokesman Steve Dupre.
Aleo John Pontillo, owner of AJ's Bail Bonds, said the federal agents also searched his home on Albers Road east of Modesto on Tuesday morning.
"They were going through everything looking for paperwork at my house," Pontillo said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. He did not return phone calls for further comment Tuesday night.
Dupre said nobody was taken into custody Tuesday. He said the search warrant was sealed in federal court and he would not comment on any aspects of the investigation.
He said it could be weeks or months before the documents are unsealed and available to the public.
"It can take us a lot of time to sift through the evidence gathered to see how it ties into the investigation," Dupre said from his office in Sacramento.
He would not comment when asked if the FBI was investigating any possible gang activity or associations with the business.
Members of the Central Valley Gang Impact Task Force assisted federal agents Tuesday. The task force is a fed- erally funded, countywide group that has members from local law enforcement agencies and the FBI.
At 1 p.m., when asked how long AJ's Bail Bonds would be closed, one of the task force members said it could be several hours before they would leave because it was going "to be an extensive search." At the time, some task force investigators could be seen in the office, examining papers and search- ing files.
Investigators still were at the business at 4 p.m., but AJ's reopened by 6 p.m., according to an employee.
People at nearby businesses said they did not see or hear any commotion Tuesday morning at AJ's, and they didn't even know law enforcement officials were inside.
Bee staff writer Rosalio Ahumada can be reached at rahumada@modbee.com or 578-2394.
This story was originally published December 23, 2008 at 11:56 PM with the headline "Modesto bail bond business raided."