Huge Child-Support Debt Doesn’t Ensure Time in Jail

[alp227]

At first Rita Sand wanted to see her ex-husband in prison. He had skipped out on making child support payments, missing court dates in Nassau County Family Court before leaving New York and eventually fleeing the country altogether. A fugitive for almost 20 years, he owed Ms. Sand and their two children $1 million.

But when federal authorities arrested the man, Robert D. Sand, this month as he exited a plane that landed in Los Angeles by way of the Philippines, Ms. Sand confronted for the first time the odd tension that complicates child support enforcement everywhere: The courts could finally send Mr. Sand to prison, but then how would he ever pay her back?

“If it was five years ago, I’d want to see him rot away in jail,” Ms. Sand said. “Now I don’t care for that. I want to see him work, and pay his debt to me and my children.”

Mr. Sand, prosecutors say, is of an exceptional breed: the million-dollar “deadbeat dad.” He is the second person currently facing prosecution in federal court in New York for child support arrears in seven figures, as part of a federal effort to assist the states in cracking down on the worst offenders.

full: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/31/nyregion/top-deadbeat-parent-is-arrested-but-may-avoid-prison.html

[Ohio Joe]

1. A deadbeat like that will never pay a dime...

The PoS will do anything to avoid his responsibility... Fuck em, throw his ass in jail.

[notadmblnd]

4. I agree with you. My father never paid a dime in child support

Never spent a day in jail either.

[blueamy66]

2. 20 years huh?

That's a long time...

[jberryhill]

3. "an exceptional breed: the million-dollar “deadbeat dad.”"

Is that measured on a per-child basis?

Like, is it two kids at $500,000 a piece, or is it more like a million at a buck each?

[lumberjack_jeff]

5. Debtors prison is like that.

The holders of that debt would rather get money. It is about the money, not the justice.

How does a car salesman get stuck with a $7000/month in child support for three kids?

[bettyellen]

6. It was less than 4K a month, and less than 10% of his 550K average income. So selfish!

[PotatoChip]

7. Assuming I am understanding the linked article correctly,

one thing that bothers me, is that there appears to be a higher priority placed on the Sand's case based on the amount owed, not necessarily the time it took to accrue all of that back debt. -Or- at least that seems to be the case in NY state based on this article and the other wealthy debt owing non-custodial parents profiled in it.

Therefore, in other words, since CS amounts are based on the non-custodial parent's income, the children of poor or middle income families seem to be given less support enforcement help for their cases just because the dollar amounts are lower.

I hope the issue is resolved for the Sands (along with other wealthy families in a similar situation). But poor and middle income families deserve just as much help recovering the money owed them as wealthy ones.

Mr. Sand, prosecutors say, is of an exceptional breed: the million-dollar “deadbeat dad.” He is the second person currently facing prosecution in federal court in New York for child support arrears in seven figures, as part of a federal effort to assist the states in cracking down on the worst offenders.

Though Mr. Sand, whom the Justice Department labeled the Most Wanted Deadbeat Parent, has become the face of that effort, he has plenty of company. In New York State alone, 23 parents — of more than 760,000 with child support orders — owe $1 million or more, according to the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which enforces child support. Most of those parents live in New York City.

[NPolitics1979]

8. It gets him a seat in Congress if he is a Republican.

[Sheldon Cooper]

9. He is never going to pay his bill, Ms. Sand.

If the law requires prison for his behavior, I'd have no problem with that - I think it is well deserved. But don't kid yourself, Ms. Sand. He can be put in jail, or not, but this man is never going to pay child support. He will ALWAYS find a way to avoid it. You picked a loser, and the sooner you realize that, the better off you'll be. And so will your children.