SALT LAKE CITY – Greg Peterson, a GOP activist accused of sexually assaulting at least five women, was out of jail on Friday night after posting $2 million bail.
Peterson, 37, was arrested in July for more than two dozen charges in connection with the alleged assaults. His bail was initially set at $750,000, but it was raised to $2 million, partly because prosecutors considered him a flight risk.
It’s unknown how Peterson came up with the money for the $2 million bond, but FOX 13 spoke to a bondsman who says he was contacted about Peterson’s bail. He sheds some light on how the process works.
Larry Nowak, owner of Bad Boys Bail Bonds, believes that Peterson realized he would be in jail until his trial – something that could take months – and somehow came up with the money.
Nowak says he was contacted several months ago asking if he could help bail Peterson out of jail.
“They called asking questions like, ‘What do you want? What do you do? How much would you want in this situation,'” Nowak said.
The person never called back and when Nowak saw that Peterson had bailed out on Friday night, he was surprised it took him so long.
It’s unclear whether Peterson paid the full $2 million. Typically, the suspect pays about 10 percent – $200,000 in Peterson’s case – then the bondsman vouches for the rest, banking on the suspect showing up in court.
“I’ve seen people drain their retirement accounts to come up with bail money, mortgage their homes,” Nowak said.
Nowak says that even though Peterson is out of jail, he will probably be checked up on because the amount is so high.
“If they’re smart, they would be. If it was me, I would be monitoring him everyday. He would check in in the morning, at night,” Nowak said.
It’s unclear where Peterson has been since he bailed out of jail and his lawyers have yet to return phone calls from FOX 13. He will have to appear in court on Nov. 2 and isn’t allowed to have any contact with the alleged victims throughout the trial.
Related stories:
GOP activist accused of rape out on bail
GOP fundraiser will go to trial in alleged rape case
GOP fundraiser accused of rape in court for preliminary hearing
More allegations surface against GOP fundraiser
Preliminary trial set for GOP fundraiser accused of rape
Reduced bail denied for GOP fundraiser accused of sexual assault
GOP fundraiser accused of rape appears in court
Attorneys: Rape allegations against GOP fundraiser are fabricated
Man’s arrest for rape came after cases connected
Woman recounts experience with rape suspect
Utah GOP fundraiser arrested for sexual assault
