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Man imprisoned after fleeing country to avoid child support

April 14, 2017

There are many divorced Connecticut parents who dutifully pay child support every month. Unfortunately, though, there are also many who fail to financially support their children. These parents put no effort toward making monthly payments. In fact, some go as far as leaving the country to avoid paying up. One man did this, and he now faces a federal prison sentence.

In 1996, the 61-year-old man was ordered to pay $1,500 monthly child support payments for his son. In 2007, the Missouri man moved to Thailand, where he worked for Eclipse Hotels and Development as a senior vice president. He came back to the United States later that year for his daughter’s wedding but did not fly directly to the wedding location in Illinois. It is believed that he flew from Thailand to Canada and then walked across the U.S. border. After the wedding, he walked back to Canada and flew back to Thailand.

The man came back to the U.S. in February of 2012 and was arrested upon arrival. He pled guilty to failure to pay child support and now faces a 21-month prison sentence. The man had not paid child support since January of 2005 and was ordered by the court to pay the full amount of $170,891.

Some agencies are strict on child support enforcement. There are several main ways to collect unpaid child support. Typically, wage garnishment is done first. If this does not work, then the agencies can intercept tax refunds or government benefits. As a last resort, jail time is enforced. This form of punishment is viewed as controversial since it is difficult for parents to pay child support while behind bars.

The key is protecting your rights. This usually means seeking the help of a family law attorney.

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