September 28, 2011
LANSING -
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and Oakland County
Sheriff Mike Bouchard announced the arrest of 26 individuals with outstanding
felony warrants for failure to pay child support.
All together,
the defendants targeted in the Southeast Michigan sweep owe $866,103.62
in
support to 48 Michigan children.
The sweep was a cooperative effort conducted by the Attorney General's Office
and the Oakland County Sheriff's Department.
"I appreciate the opportunity to join with Attorney General
Schuette to find individuals that have the ability to pay for the needs of their
own children and refuse," said Bouchard. "Being a parent demands you take
responsibility for your child - and it is the child we will look out for."
"Our job is to protect our most vulnerable citizens, our
children," said Schuette. "If you have the ability to pay child support and
refuse to fulfill that responsibility, we will hold you accountable."
The joint effort resulted in a total of 26 arrests on September
20 - 21, 2011, including:
-
18 arrests of
individuals wanted on Attorney General Felony Non-Support warrants in
Southeast Michigan;
-
Three arrests of
individuals wanted on Attorney General Felony Non-Support warrants made by
other law enforcement agencies across the state that received notification
of the outstanding warrants for individuals in their jurisdictions;
-
Two arrests of
individuals wanted on Attorney General Felony Non-Support warrants made in
Georgia and Tennessee by law enforcement agencies that received notification
of the outstanding warrants for individuals in their jurisdictions; and
-
Three arrests of
individuals wanted on civil Oakland County Friend of the Court warrants.
In addition, three individuals wanted on Attorney General Felony
Non-Support warrants were contacted by investigators and agreed to surrender
within days, resulting in a total of 29 defendants.
Among the fugitives targeted, those with the greatest arrearages
in child support included: Vincent Edward Cameron, 40, of Bloomfield Hills, who
owes $58,974.83; Mark Thomas Lester, 42, of Garden City, who owes $55,639.94;
and Arthur Lenwood Wells, 42, of Fraser, who owes $54,802.82.
The majority
of the defendants will appear in court his week. Five defendants are scheduled
for pre-exam conferences on Thursday September 29, 2011 in Pontiac's 50th
District Court. Nineteen of the 29 defendants were scheduled for pre-exam
conferences on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 in Pontiac's 50th District
Court. The remaining defendants will appear at later dates.
"I would like to thank Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard for
providing support that helped make this effort a success," said Schuette.
Schuette's
Child Support Division focuses
on those parents who have an ability to pay, but refuse to do so. The Division
receives case referrals from county prosecutors, Friend of the Court offices,
custodial parents, and law enforcement agencies. Schuette said his office
focuses on non-custodial parents resuming regular child support payments, not
jail time. As a result, Michigan kids are paid what they are owed and
subsequently receive consistent support into the future.
Oftentimes the recognition of potential criminal prosecution is
enough to encourage a non-custodial parent to act before setting foot in a
courtroom. Since its inception, the Attorney General's Child Support Division
has collected over $110 million for Michigan kids.
Custodial parents currently not receiving support may file an
online request for review by Schuette's office at
www.michigan.gov/ag.
A criminal
charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and
unless proven guilty.
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Click here to view the list of individuals who were arrested.
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