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Former police officers to be arraigned for kidnapping while acting as bounty hunters

News: 2022 Press Release

For Release: June 20, 2022
Media Calls Only: 916-492-3566
Email Inquiries: cdipress@insurance.ca.gov

Former police officers to be arraigned for kidnapping while acting as bounty hunters

ORANGE, Calif. – Former police officers Rodger Jeffrey Corbett, 49, of Corona, and Kevin Andrew Pedersen, 34, of Fullerton, will be arraigned on three felony counts each of kidnapping, false imprisonment by violence, menace, fraud or deceit and enhancement with firearm in the commission of a felony. This comes after the Orange County Grand Jury heard sworn testimony and indicted Corbett and Pedersen for their conduct working as bail fugitive recovery persons, more commonly known as bounty hunters. Their arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday, June 29.

The California Department of Insurance began an investigation after seeing a social media video of Corbett and Pederson attempting to locate a subject who had missed court appearances. The video misidentified them as undercover police officers. However, a joint probe by the Department of Insurance and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Unit found that Corbett and Pedersen were former police officers. Corbett and Pedersen allegedly forcibly kidnapped and handcuffed the girlfriend of the subject they were seeking and drove her around for several hours. They both were visibly armed at the time of the alleged kidnapping.

While bounty hunters are required under the Bail Fugitive Recovery Persons Act (California Penal Code 1299) to undergo training and meet other conditions, unlike bail agents and sureties who hire them they are not required to be licensed by the Department of Insurance or any other agency. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and the Department of Insurance are sponsoring Assembly Bill 2043, authored by Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, to require bail fugitive recovery persons be licensed and require better oversight by the Department and by both the licensed bail agents and sureties that utilize them in apprehending subjects.

The Department is continuing the investigation into the hiring of the unpermitted bail fugitive recovery persons by the licensed bail agent. This case is being prosecuted by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Special Prosecutions Unit.

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Media notes:

  • AB 2043 (Jones-Sawyer) to require licensing of bounty hunters passed the Assembly last month and will be heard in the Senate Insurance Committee on Wednesday, June 22, and in the Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, June 28.
  • For questions about the charges in this case, contact the Orange County District Attorney’s Office at media@da.ocgov.com or (714) 347-8405.

For questions about the oversight of bounty hunters and California insurance law, contact the Department of Insurance at cdipress@insurance.ca.gov or (916) 492-3566.



Led by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, the California Department of Insurance is the consumer protection agency for the nation's largest insurance marketplace and safeguards all of the state’s consumers by fairly regulating the insurance industry. Under the Commissioner’s direction, the Department uses its authority to protect Californians from insurance rates that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, oversee insurer solvency to pay claims, set standards for agents and broker licensing, perform market conduct reviews of insurance companies, resolve consumer complaints, and investigate and prosecute insurance fraud. Consumers are urged to call 1-800-927-4357 with any questions or contact us at www.insurance.ca.gov via webform or online chat. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800-927-4357. Teletypewriter (TTY), please dial 800-482-4833.

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