Warrant Issued for Other Defendant in Case for Two Additional Incidents of Assault and False Imprisonment
July 31, 2024 - RIVERSIDE, Calif. —Bianca Annette Garcia, 37, of San Jacinto, was arraigned today and a warrant has been issued for a second defendant, Jesse Adrian Wagner, 49, of 
Escondido, on multiple felony counts including kidnapping, false imprisonment, residential burglary, assault, and dissuading a witness, after a California Department of Insurance investigation found they allegedly were acting as bail fugitive recovery agents without proper authority.
In August 2022, while working for a company identified as Fugitive Warrants, Wagner and Garcia forcibly entered a residence in Riverside and detained two adult males, one adult female, and a young child. Less than one minute after entry, Wagner tased the female victim as the victim attempted to call 911 to report the incident to police. Wagner placed the female victim in handcuffs and then both Wagner and Garcia transported the victim to the hospital for treatment before booking her into jail.
An investigation by the California Department of Insurance uncovered that both Wagner and Garcia were working illegally as bail fugitive recovery agents during the encounter. Wagner has multiple felony convictions and has previously been charged with illegally acting as a bail fugitive recovery agent. Wagner is currently in custody in Colorado for similar charges.
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara sponsored Assembly Bill 2043, which was signed into law in 2023 requiring all bail fugitive recovery agents to be licensed by the California Department of Insurance. Before this crucial legislation was enacted, bail fugitive recovery agents had a training requirement, but were not required to be licensed. AB 2043 makes mandatory that all appropriate education and training requirements are met prior to licensure and that all applicants successfully pass a fingerprint-based background check, obtain an appointment from a licensed bail agent or surety insurer, and maintain a minimum of $1 million liability insurance policy so harmed consumers have an avenue to collect damages if necessary.
This case is being prosecuted by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Additional felony charges have been filed against Wagner in San Diego County stemming from a separate but similar Department of Insurance investigation involving two victims in two separate incidents in Oceanside. Those additional charges including false imprisonment and assault were filed against Wagner in that case in June.
Source: CA. Dept. of Ins.
