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Saturday, May 25, 2013 | 9:00 a.m.

Posted: 8:25 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013

Local ambulance company previously raided by FBI accused of not paying bills again

By Bill Melugin

EL PASO, Texas —

Another small business owner has stepped forward about Dominion Ambulance not paying its bills. Liberty Complete Auto & Diesel Specialities owner Gabe Cortez contacted KFOX14 and reported that after performing multiple repairs on several Dominion ambulances several months ago, he still has not been paid by Dominion's director, Tony Baird.

"He's got a balance of about $3,200 for the past four and a half months, we've attempted to collect that using a collection agency as well using all of the legal means to get that money," Cortez said.

"It's been approximately four and half months since we last did any business with Dominion. We fixed a total of three ambulances that were actually invoiced, a fourth one was never invoiced on good faith, hoping that he would come back and take care of that, he never came back," he added.

KFOX14 last reported on Dominion Ambulance two weeks ago, when small business owner Rick Mendoza contacted the station and said that Dominion had not paid him for medical supplies for several months.

After the story aired, Cortez contacted KFOX14 to report that he was experiencing the exact same thing with Dominion.

Cortez showed KFOX14 multiple invoices regarding the work performed on the Dominion ambulances, all of which were signed by a Dominion employee. He also showed KFOX14 several texts messages from Baird, promising payment that never came.

KFOX14 contacted Baird once again to ask him about the new allegations.

He first claimed to not know who Gabe Cortez was, but after being told about the invoices and text messages, he changed his story and admitted that he does know him.

When asked for an interview or any type of statement to address the allegations, Baird replied that he has "no statement".

Cortez tells KFOX14 that immediately after Baird found out about the interview, Baird called him and begged him to not talk to the media.

Cortez  recorded the phone call, and played it for KFOX14.

On the recording, Baird repeatedly pleads with Cortez to not get the media involved, and promises that he will have a check ready for him the next day.

"We went forward with this interview, it's about time he's stopped from hurting small businesses," Cortez said.

Last year, the FBI raided Dominion Ambulance for medical fraud, however, the result of that investigation is still pending.

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