Bounty Hunters Face Felony Charges for Arresting the Wrong Person
Three bounty hunters are facing felony aggravated kidnapping charges after being accused of arresting the wrong person at gunpoint.
The Incident
According to a Richardson police arrest-warrant affidavit, officers were called at about 3:12 p.m. on June 1 after a man reported that three armed men jumped out of a U-Haul van and kidnapped his brother from a home in the 3800 block of Aberdeen Court.
The affidavit said the man was cutting someone’s hair in his garage when the bounty hunters arrived in a van, jumped out and threw a flashbang grenade at him. The bounty hunters also displayed firearms, including an “AR,” during the arrest and pointed them at the man’s brother during the arrest.
The Bounty Hunters’ Mistake
Police later located the U-Haul and spoke with one of the bounty hunters, identified in the affidavit as Alan Gregory Hinton, 32, who told police he and his team had just served a warrant on a capital murder suspect. Hinton told police his team had identified the suspect through “months of intel and confidential informants” and used an AI facial recognition tool, which returned a 79% match.
However, while the man the bounty hunters arrested had a similarly-spelled name and was close to the same age as the capital murder suspect, he was not the same person, according to the affidavit. He did not have an active arrest warrant at the time of the incident and did not even resemble the suspect, the affidavit said.
Investigation and Charges
Richardson police later spoke with the Dallas County District Attorney’s office and a U.S. Marshal who said the capital murder suspect is believed to have fled to Iraq.
Hinton and another man, Devon Erik Allard Carter, 27, were determined to have active security officer licenses at the time of the incident, the affidavit said. Hinton recorded body camera footage of the arrest, and according to the affidavit, never identified himself or his team as bounty hunters.
Hinton and Carter have been arrested and face charges of aggravated kidnapping and execution of capias or arrest warrant, police said. Hinton was booked into the Collin County jail and released Aug. 13 on $30,000 bond, while Carter was booked into the Denton County jail and released Aug. 10, also on $30,000 bond.
It was not immediately clear if either man had an attorney.
A third man, who the affidavit said does not have a security officer license, has not yet been arrested, police said.
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Conclusion
The incident highlights the importance of proper identification and procedure in law enforcement and bounty hunting. The use of AI facial recognition tools and other technologies can be helpful, but they are not foolproof and must be used in conjunction with other forms of verification. The consequences of mistaken identity can be severe, as seen in this case, and it is crucial that those in positions of authority take the necessary steps to ensure that they are targeting the correct individuals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What were the bounty hunters charged with?
A: The bounty hunters, Alan Gregory Hinton and Devon Erik Allard Carter, were charged with felony aggravated kidnapping and execution of capias or arrest warrant.
Q: Why did the bounty hunters arrest the wrong person?
A: The bounty hunters used an AI facial recognition tool, which returned a 79% match, but they did not properly verify the identity of the person they arrested. The person they arrested had a similarly-spelled name and was close to the same age as the capital murder suspect, but he was not the same person.
Q: What is the current status of the capital murder suspect?
A: According to the Dallas County District Attorney’s office and a U.S. Marshal, the capital murder suspect is believed to have fled to Iraq.
Q: What can be done to prevent similar incidents in the future?
A: To prevent similar incidents, it is crucial that law enforcement and bounty hunters take the necessary steps to ensure that they are targeting the correct individuals. This includes using multiple forms of verification, such as eyewitness accounts, fingerprints, and other identifying features, in addition to AI facial recognition tools.
