Bianca Annette Garcia, 37, of San Jacinto, was arraigned today on various felony charges, including kidnapping, false imprisonment, domestic burglary, assault, and witness intimidation.
A warrant has been issued for a second defendant, Jesse Adrian Wagner, 49, of Escondido, on similar charges. The California Department of Insurance inquiry discovered that Garcia and Wagner reportedly worked as bail fugitive recovery agents without the necessary license.
Wagner and Garcia forced their way into a Riverside home in August 2022 while working for a corporation called Fugitive Warrants. During the event, they detained two adult men, one adult woman, and a young child. Wagner tased the female victim as she tried to contact 911, handcuffed her, and took her to the hospital for treatment before booking her into jail.
The California Department of Insurance investigation found that both persons were illegally functioning as bail fugitive recovery agents at the time of the occurrence. Wagner has several felony convictions and is facing charges in Colorado for similar conduct.
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara sponsored Assembly Bill 2043, which was passed into law in 2023. This legislation requires all bail fugitive recovery agencies to be licensed by the California Department of Insurance.
Before this law, agents simply had to complete training and not be licensed. To safeguard consumers, AB 2043 establishes severe criteria such as a fingerprint-based background check, an appointment with a registered bail agent or surety insurer, and a minimum of $1 million liability insurance.
TWO TEENAGERS AMONG FIVE KILLED in Chicago Weekend Violence; 48 Shot in 31 Incidents
The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting this case. Wagner faces further criminal charges in San Diego County as a result of a separate Department of Insurance investigation. These allegations, which include false imprisonment and assault in Oceanside, were brought in June.