A Laurel bondsman is looking for a client who walked away fromhim after his bail was paid last week at the Lincoln CountyJail.

Bondsman Donald Dale Hollifield of Donald’s Bonding Company saidJames May, 29, of Brookhaven, asked to borrow a cellular phoneafter being bonded out of the Lincoln County Jail on Wednesday.

Officials said May had called someone to come and pay thebondsman. But upon finding out payment would not be made, he tookthe phone and ran after talking on it shortly outside the jail.

May is charged with sexual assault and burglary after enteringthe home of an elderly Brookhaven woman. He was out on bond on afelony charge in Jones County at the time of his arrest, and wasallowed bond in Brookhaven Municipal Court.

Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing said May’s bond has beenpaid; therefore he is legally out of jail.

Brookhaven Police Chief Pap Henderson said the fact that May hasnot paid Hollifield is a problem, but not one that can be handledby jail or police officials until he does not appear in court athis preliminary hearing on June 30. And although his officerscannot legally apprehend May if he is found because he has bondedout, Henderson said they will be extra vigilant in protecting thecommunity.

“I know that we will be protecting the victims and witnesses,”he said. “We made them aware that he was bonding out. They’re ourpriority.”

Hollifield, however, is concerned about the possible $100,000 hemay be held responsible for if May does not appear for hispreliminary hearing.

“We’re hunting him, and if anybody has any information to gethim rounded up, we need them to call us,” Hollifield said.

Hollifield can be reached at his company at (601) 649-2382.

May was arrested and charged in conjunction with a breaking andentering complaint reported May 30. When an officer was sent to thescene, the elderly victim reported that she found a man in her homewho assaulted her sexually.

Officials said the woman told police she found the man standingin the living room of her home in a neighborhood off North JacksonStreet. She said he made a threatening statement before putting aknife to her throat and taking her into the bedroom and assaultingher.