It’s Saturday night in the South Valley, and Richard Montoya is kicking in the front door of someone’s house. If he captures and delivers the man inside to the authorities, he’ll get paid for his trouble.
Montoya, 39, began his career as a bail enforcement agent 10 years ago after helping friends in the business.
“My job is like the UPS or FedEx guy,” he said. “Pick up the package, drop it off, that’s it.”
Montoya served in the Army as a military police officer before becoming a freelance bail enforcement agent in 2001.
“The bug bit me and I’ve been doing it ever since,” he said.
Montoya said he never goes on an assignment alone.
On the job, Montoya and his partner arm themselves with expandable batons, pepper spray, Tasers, a bullet-proof vest and firearms, he said.
Yet some bounties don’t give up without a fight.
Montoya said that over the course of his career his chest has been slashed and he has had guns pointed at him. He often has to wrestle with defendants and has caught several defendants shooting up heroin, having sex or in other compromising situations.
“The feistier ones are women under 5 feet tall,” he said. “Short, small women will try to kick you in your nuggets and run.”
Montoya said in a good week he brings in up to five people, but in a bad week, he often doesn’t have any work. At $250 per apprehension or 10 percent of the defendant’s bail, whichever is higher, he said he doesn’t do the job for the money.
In his spare time he coaches youth wrestling and football on a volunteer basis.
Montoya said he makes a point to make time for his family and friends to help him handle the stress of being a bail enforcement agent.
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“If you don’t this job will burn you out so fast,” he said. “It’ll eat up all your time and you won’t do anything.”
The night ended successfully for Montoya, who delivered the defendant to the authorities.
