Bounty hunters mistakenly target sheriff's home

A group of bounty hunters searching for a wanted fugitive only realized they picked the wrong house Tuesday, when the angry local police chief emerged, shirtless.

NorthStar Fugitive Recovery owner Brent Farley, 43, was charged with criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct after his group and another contingent of bounty hunters mistakenly targeted the home of Phoenix police chief Joseph Yahner.

NorthStar and Delta One Tactical Recovery allegedly besieged the house with 11 bounty hunters after receiving a tip on social media pointing them toward a fugitive. After watching the house for two hours, the teams flipped on their headlights, shined flashlights inside the house and began banging on the door, police said. One of the men had his weapon unholstered, according to cops.

A video of the encounter viewed by the Arizona Republic allegedly shows someone yelling, “Roderick, open the door” before getting into a verbal argument with Yahner. After Yahner emerged, a “heated confrontation” ensued, according to Sgt. Trent Crump.

“After awakening [Yahner] from a dead sleep, he comes out in protection mode,” Crump said. “And when he does come out and he challenges them, I think they quickly come to realize [the mistake], with the exception of one of them.”
Farley would not leave the property and continued to give orders to Yahner, Crump said.