GA - Child Support Suspects Rounded Up

http://www.wjbf.com/midatlantic/jbf/...9-02-0004.html

Richmond County Delinquent Child Support Suspects Rounded Up
One-hundred-sixty-nine people are wanted for being delinquent in their child
support

Tuesday, Sep 02, 2008 - 12:28 PM
By Renita Crawford
Augusta, GA -- The list is long, and Richmond County Sheriff's Office
deputies Billy Jones And Oleg Grinko are just one team ready to tackle it.

Deputy Billy Jones, Richmond County Sheriff's Office: "Hopefully, we catch
the people off guard that have avoided us, during our morning shift and our
afternoon shift."

One-hundred-sixty-nine people are wanted for being delinquent in their child
support.

Deputy Jones: "We've had to go all over the county looking for people. We
have had good luck, though. It's just been tedious trying to go through all
the leads."

The sweep to catch these deadbeat parents took deputies to jobs and homes.

Charlena Randolph Seabrook owes more than $3,500 in child support.

The deputy says she tried to hide, but instead she made the trip downtown.

It was the third time Deputy Jones had been to a home off Meadowbrook Drive
to arrest 40-year-old Dwayne Poole. Deputy Jones says he owes $5,000 in back
child support. But this time, persistence paid off, but not without a foot
chase first. Deputies say Poole ran out the back door, jumped a fence, but
he didn't get far.

Deputy Jones: "I was able to catch him down on Meadowbrook Drive, and take
him into custody."

Poole has 2 felony child support warrants, and an obstruction charge for
running.

Dwayne Poole, delinquent child support suspect: "Man, get that camera out my
face, I ain't killed nobody."

Friday, 27 defendants were in court to explain why they had not been paying
their child support. Dwayne Poole told the judge he was out of work, but
would have a job in 30 days. He paid $500 and was released, but not before
he got a strong warning from the judge.

Judge Sheryl Jolly, Richmond County Superior Court: "You need to make your
payments...bring your toothbrush."

Ewana Singley has a child by Poole. She says he hasn't made a payment since
last October.

Ewana Singley, due child support: "It's just the broken promises. I coming
to bring you some money. I'm going to do this and never following through."

Charlena Seabrook was released after her father paid $3,000. A few more were
released after making a payment. The rest were told by the judge to come up
with the money or stay in jail...

Many of the defendents said they hadn't paid because they had health
problems, didn't have a job, or couldn't afford it. They'll be back in court
in October.

"Dusty" wrote in

Many of the defendents said they hadn't paid because they had health
problems, didn't have a job, or couldn't afford it. They'll be back in
court in October.

If you think about it, how many thousands of dollars was spent to round up
these poverty stricken folks?

Did it save the tax payers any money?