Thursday, September 24, 2009
El Paso County Sheriff Conducts Sweep; Arrests Parents Who Failed to Pay Child Support
EL PASO – El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles has arrested 16 El Paso County parents who violated court orders requiring them to pay child support. The sweep was conducted in conjunction with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s Child Support Division. Today’s effort focused on parents who are wanted by authorities for failing to pay their court-ordered child support.
In addition to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Pct. 1 Constable Robert White, Pct. 2 Constable Rick Gammon, and Pct. 7 Constable Angie Sommers participated in the countywide effort. Child Support Division investigators aided Sheriff Wiles by providing logistical assistance to locate missing parents.
“Parents have a moral and legal obligation to make regular child support payments,” Attorney General Abbott said. “By collecting child support, we are ensuring young Texans have the resources they need to grow healthy and strong. We are grateful to Sheriff Wiles, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Pct. 1 Constable Robert White, Pct. 2 Constable Rick Gammon, and Pct. 7 Constable Angie Sommers for their commitment to Texas children.”
Today’s operation began at 5 a.m. when Sheriff Wiles dispatched teams of deputies to track down parents who are wanted for contempt of court as a result of their failure to pay child support. The roundup resulted in the arrest of 16 parents whose failure to pay violated the law.
Delinquent parents arrested on civil warrants face up to six months in jail. Cash bonds posted by delinquent parents seeking release from jail are paid to the custodial parents and children who are owed back child support.
Parents who have outstanding warrants can avoid the embarrassment of arrest at their home or work by contacting the warrants section of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office at 601 E. Overland. Parents who have fallen behind on their child support payments – but are not yet subject to warrants for their arrest – should immediately contact the Attorney General’s Child Support Division at (800) 252-8014 to make payment arrangements.
Under state and federal law, the Office of the Attorney General can assist families who request child support services and must serve families who currently receive or have received public assistance. Services offered by the Child Support Division include locating absent parents; establishing paternity for children born to unmarried parents; establishing, enforcing, and modifying child and medical support orders; and collecting and distributing child support payments.
Statewide, child support collected by the Office of the Attorney General exceeded $2.78 billion for the state fiscal year that ended Aug. 31, 2009. The Attorney General’s El Paso County child support offices collected $108 million of that amount.
