COUNTY KEEPS THE PRESSURE ON MOST WANTED DELINQUENT PARENTS

 

 

 

NEWS FROM DON KNABE

Supervisor, Fourth District

County of Los Angeles

822 Hahn Hall of Administration

 

 

 

        FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                           Contact:         David A. Sommers

                                                                                                                                        (213) 974-1095

                                                                                                                                        (213) 453-6446 (cell)

 

 

COUNTY KEEPS THE PRESSURE ON

MOST WANTED DELINQUENT PARENTS

 

LOS ANGELES, August 27, 2009 – Supervisor Don Knabe announced today that another one of LA County’s Most Wanted Delinquent Parents has been arrested and jailed. Darrick Ellington was sentenced to 135 days in jail by Superior Court Commissioner John Green. Ellington’s arrest follows soon after the arrests of Osvaldo Fernandez and Sergio Diaz earlier this month.  All three men were sought on warrants issued when they failed to surrender to serve jail sentences.  Each had been in violation of court-ordered probation terms requiring them to make support payments.

 

Ellington, 46, was first convicted in September 2001 of failing to support his then-11 year old daughter.  He pleaded no-contest to a charge of criminal contempt for failing to pay court-ordered child support.  He was placed on 36 months probation on the condition that he would make ongoing payments.  Ellington owes more than $75,000 in unpaid support.

 

Since first receiving probation in 2001, Ellington has been in and out of court on child support related charges on multiple occasions. On June 26 of this year, he was sentenced to 90 days in the County Jail. Ellington failed to surrender as ordered and a bench warrant with bail set at $100,000 was issued for his arrest.  His photo and identifying information were added to the County’s Most Wanted Delinquent Parent website.  His case was turned over to investigators assigned to the Child Support Arrest Warrant Project, a joint effort of the Child Support Services Department and the District Attorney’s office.

 

Steven J. Golightly, Director of the Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department, said, “Our goal in criminally prosecuting parents is first and foremost to secure compliance with their financial obligations to their children.  Sometimes, in cases like those of the three “Most Wanted” parents arrested this week, nothing short of jail time is enough to demonstrate how serious we are in ensuring that parents cannot avoid their responsibilities without paying a price.”  

 

The Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department maintains the Most Wanted Delinquent Parent List.  It was developed as an initiative of Supervisor Don Knabe. 

 

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