Bailed out of jail by Minnesota Freedom Fund, man charged with attacking a woman is re-arrested for exposing himself to kids three days after release

The Minnesota Freedom Fund, which pays criminal bail for those who cannot afford it, is facing another instance where a client is rearrested shortly after release.

According to Crime Watch Minneapolis, Gregory Jones, 28, was in jail until Feb. 8th after being charged with attacking a woman in a downtown Minneapolis bathroom when the Freedom Fund made the decision to have Jones released after covering his $40,000 bail. The criminal complaint describes him as a “danger to public safety” who was “also under investigation for several other incidents of indecent exposure.”

Three days later, on Feb. 11, police were called to the FAIR Senior High School in downtown Minneapolis after receiving complaints of a man exposing himself to students and staff. Police learned that Jones was seen laying on the floor near the entrance to the school masturbating with his pants down and penis exposed. He spoke to students as they attempted to enter the school. When a staff member told him to stop, Jones became aggressive and started swearing at her. According to security officers at the school, he had been previously removed for trespassing based on the same behavior.

Previously, the Freedom Fund assured the community that its protocols would be revised after it bailed out George Howard, 48, who was facing domestic assault charges. Freedom Fund paid the $11,500 bond for Howard’s release on Aug. 11, 2021. Less than a month later, on Aug. 29, Howard was charged with second-degree murder for killing Luis Martinez during a road rage incident on an interstate I-94 entrance ramp in Minneapolis. In a social media posting, Freedom Fund representatives assured the community that following the Martinez murder changes would be made.

Under new leadership, MFF has implemented changes to its policies and procedures, and we will continue to assess them to ensure that we are being responsive to the safety and needs of our community.

It remains unclear what, if any, changes the Freedom Fund has made to further protect the community from dangerous criminals awaiting trial. This comes on the heels of Freedom Fund’s sponsoring bond payments for violent criminals such as a twice-convicted rapist, a man accused of sexually penetrating a young child, a man who curb stomped his victim, and several serial domestic abusers. Minnesotans deserve answers from the Freedom Fund when they keep paying bail for violent criminals, allowing them back on the streets to become a threat to the safety of our communities.