Texarkana, Texas | Bowie County Sheriff James Prince, Texarkana Police Chief Daniel L. Shiner, Nash Police Chief Kelly Dial, New Boston Police Chief Tony King, and Wake Village Police Chief Ronny Sharp have arrested 10 Bowie County parents who violated court orders requiring them to pay child support. The sweep was conducted in conjunction with the Texas Attorney General’s Child Support Division. Today’s effort focused on parents who are wanted by authorities for failing to pay their court-ordered child support.
“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 James Prince, Texarkana Police Chief Daniel Shiner, Nash Police Chief Kelly Dial, New Boston Police Chief Tony King, and Wake Village Police Chief Ronny Sharp for their unfailing commitment to Texas children.”
The sweep reflects the strong commitment of Sheriff Prince and Police Chiefs Shiner, Dial, King and Sharp to track down parents who are wanted for contempt of court because of their failure to pay child support. After holding a 4:30 a.m. briefing at the Texarkana Mobile Command Center, the officials dispatched seven teams of law enforcement officers to locate and arrest the noncompliant parents before they had a chance to leave their homes for the day. Child Support Division investigators assisted in the effort by providing logistical assistance and helping to locate missing parents.
Today’s roundup resulted in the arrest of 10 parents whose failure to support their children violated the law. A total of 20 parents – including 10 from today’s effort – have been arrested since the beginning of November, when roundup preparation began.
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 fallen behind on their child support payments – but are not 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 $3.8 billion for the state fiscal year that ended Aug. 31, 2014. The Attorney General’s Texarkana child support office collected $27.8 million of that amount.
