Bounty Hunters Mistakenly Seek Oklahoma Fugitive at Phoenix Police Chief's Home

One was arrested after police said he refused to leave the property.

ByABC News
August 6, 2015, 7:18 AM

— -- Authorities in Phoenix are investigating a tip that led bounty hunters searching for a fugitive to the home of the city's police chief.

Bounty hunter Brent Farley was arrested after he allegedly refused to leave the home of Phoenix Police Chief Joseph Yahner late Tuesday. The bounty hunters were looking for a 6-foot-3-inch, 310-pound black man who was wanted on drug charges in Oklahoma.

Instead, the 11 armed bounty hunters arrived at the home of Yahner, who is white.

"We have some -- I don't know if they're bounty hunters or what they are," the police chief's girlfriend told 911 dispatchers. "They just banged on our door and they're looking for somebody."

Police said the bounty hunters were acting on an unconfirmed tip they received through social media.

Farley, an account manager at Northstar Fugitive Recovery in Arizona, was charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct. Police said he had his handgun unholstered during the confrontation outside Yahner's home and refused to leave the property.

"Even after the situation had been deescalated, one of them wouldn't leave and demanded the chief identify himself, even though the man they were looking for was a heavy-set black man," Phoenix police Sgt. Trent Crump said.

Farley has not yet entered a plea.