Ten Arrested in Gregg County Child Support Sweep

LONGVIEW – Gregg County Sheriff Maxey Cerliano and Longview Police Chief Don Dingler have arrested 10 Gregg County parents who allegedly violated court orders requiring them to pay child support. Tuesday’s sweep was conducted in conjunction with the Texas Attorney General’s Child Support Division. After holding a 4:30 a.m. briefing to kick off the initiative, teams of law enforcement officers worked through the early morning hours to locate and arrest the parents before they had a chance to leave their homes for the day. Child Support Division investigators aided the sheriff and police chief by providing logistical assistance to locate missing parents.

A total of 15 parents – including 10 from Tuesday’s effort – have been arrested since the beginning of March, when roundup preparation began. Here’s a list of the 10 parents picked up Tuesday, provided by the sheriff’s office:

James Edward Smith
Sylvia Darlene Gonzalez
Benjamin Wazell Taylor
Rufus Earl Humphries Jr.
Albert Johnson Jr.
Adarius Qunta Davenport
Michael Gene Duxbury Jr.
Jesse Lee Martinez
Mykia Delores Pauley
Joshua Lee Sullivan

The five arrested before Tuesday’s sweep are as follows:

Brian Keith Moore
Christie Lynn Cochran
Harold Lynn Palmer
Jerry Lee Maines
Jerrall Fagans Jr.

Others remain at large and will be picked up as they are located, according to the sheriff’s office. 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. To avoid the embarrassment of arrest at home or work, officials say parents with child support warrants should contact the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office. 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 $3.6 billion for the state fiscal year that ended Aug. 31, 2013. The Longview child support office, which covers Gregg and five surrounding counties, collected $50 million of that amount.