The News Room [News Archive]
New
Sheriff’s unit tracks down felony child support "deadbeats" ---
In first month, deputies
arrest 67 offenders who owe $2.3 million
Wayne
County Sheriff’s deputies, working closely with county
prosecutors, have identified and arrested 67 of Wayne County’s
115 worst child support deadbeats as part of a new effort being
spearheaded by Sheriff Warren C. Evans and Prosecutor Michael
E. Duggan.
The Felony
Friend of the Court Unit was created in early January to identify,
secure warrants for, then track and apprehend the very worst
offenders among Wayne County’s 28,000 men and women who
owe a collective $3.7 billion in back child support. For these
individuals, Prosecutor Duggan is issuing felony warrants, as
opposed to civil warrants. The maximum penalty for a felony conviction
for non-payment of child support is four years in prison.
"The
non-payment of child support is one of the most heartless crimes
we see every day because of who it affects," said Evans.
"These people are not only letting innocent children go without
life’s
bare necessities, they are thumbing their nose at the system.
This new approach should send a clear message that neither of
those behaviors will go unpunished."
Since early
January, Sheriff’s deputies and prosecutors have identified
more than 100 people they have classified as the most egregious
violators and have been executing felony warrants. According
to Evans, these are individuals who are employed and have a high
likelihood of making good on their payments. In just the first
month of operation, 67 of the violators, who collectively owe
more than $2.3 million in back child support, have been arrested.
So far, more than $1 million of that money has been collected
or ordered to be paid as a condition of probation.
"This
is just the first round," said Evans. "We expect
that prosecutors will identify additional deadbeats on a regular
basis and add them to our felony list."
Because of
the efficiency of Sheriff’s Office Friend of the Court
officers, Evans said that between an average of 700 civil FOC
arrests are made each month. Approximately 100 of those are as
a result of an aggressive identification and apprehension effort
by deputies. Others are arrested when individuals encounter a
police officer for unrelated reasons and are found, through the
Law Enforcement Information Network [LEIN] system, to be wanted
for non-payment of child support.
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According to
Duggan, in order for a person to be charged with a felony for
non-payment of child support, their case must meet the following
criteria:
- Must owe
at least $10,000 in back child support
- Has been
identified as having the ability to pay,
but refuses to
- The ex-spouse
must be willing to press charges
against them
"As word
gets out to these scofflaws that they may face felony charges,
we believe many of them suddenly will be inspired to make good
on their responsibility to their kids," Evans said.
Anyone with
questions on a child support case, or in need of more information
on how the system works, should call Friend of the Court Client
Communications at 313-224-5381.
Key
Facts
Wayne County Friend of the Court
| Active
FOC cases: |
Approx.
340,000 |
| Active
FOC civil warrants for non-payment: |
28,225 |
| Percentage
of civil warrants of females: |
3% |
| 1992 civil
warrant arrests: |
4,202 |
| 2002 civil
warrant arrests: |
8,375
[avg. 700 per month] |
| Felony
Arrests since 1/1/03: |
67 |
| Current
dollar amount owed in arrearages: |
$3.7 billion |
| Amount
collected in 2001: |
$331 million |
| Vehicles
booted in 2002: |
64 |
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