ROCKINGHAM — Tyrannia Ellerbe made history this month as the first African American female from Richmond County to become a licensed bail bond agent in the county.
Ellerbe said the distinction of first female African American agent goes to Doris Bostic, originally from Greensboro, who worked with her husband Earl Bostic.
Not long after high school, Ellerbe first started working in the bail bonds business, she said.
Ellerbe was an accommodation bondsman for a while, helping family members and friends who found themselves in trouble with the law.
According to state statute, an accommodation bondsman is defined as: “a person who shall not charge a fee or receive any consideration for action as surety and who endorses the bail bond after providing satisfactory evidences of ownership, value, and marketability of real or personal property to the extent necessary to reasonably satisfy the official taking bond that the real or personal property will in all respects be sufficient to assure that the full principal sum of the bond will be realized if there is a breach of the conditions of the bond.”
After nearly 25 years, she said she was strongly encouraged by her mother and significant other to go for licensure.
Bail bond agents are licensed through the N.C. Department of Insurance.
After starting the process in December, Ellerbe was licensed on Oct. 2, received her license Oct. 8 and wrote her first two bonds within an hour of each other the following day.
When asked why she decided to pursue a career in getting people out of jail, Ellerbe replied that she knows what it’s like to be locked up.
“I’ve been to jail before,” she said. “It’s not really somewhere you want to be.”
But, she added, she made life-changing decisions and, in addition to working in the bail bond business, has also worked in home health and as an event planner with her business Ordinary to Extraordinary. She has also been behind multiple community events including Easter egg hunts.
The state statute regarding bond agents states: “a first-year licensee shall operate only under the supervision of and from the official business address of a licensed supervising bail bondsman for the first 12 months of licensure.”
State records show Ellerbe is appointed to Palmetto Surety Company, based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
According to the DOI, licensees must complete three hours of continuing education “in subjects related to the duties and responsibilities of a runner or bail bondsman” to renew their licenses each year.
Although she can write bonds anywhere in North Carolina, Ellerbe said her main service area will be Richmond and Anson counties.
Ellerbe can be reached at The Plug Bailbonding at 910-461-8131.
