>>	Press Releases...

IT'S A CRIME NOT TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT

A strong showing of interagency cooperation resulted in the conviction of three parents on charges of criminal non-support of a minor child. Earlier this summer, the State's Attorney for

Harford County, supported by the Harford County Office of Child Support Enforcement, filed criminal charges against a number of non-custodial parents who allegedly withheld support from their children. Five non-support cases were before Harford County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Marshall on August 23, 2006. While two cases were postponed, each of the remaining three defendants was found guilty of failing to support his children:

George Algard, age 34, of Havre de Grace, Maryland pled guilty to failing to provide support to his two children. Judge Marshall sentenced Mr. Algard to a total of 6 years in jail for failing to pay his child support obligations. While the bulk of his sentence was suspended in lieu of probation, Mr. Algard will serve 6 months in the Harford County Detention Center beginning in October. Mr. Algard owes in excess of $40,000.00 in unpaid support to his children.

Eugene Crawford, 34, of Edgewood, Maryland also pled guilty to criminal non-support of a minor child. Mr. Crawford, who owes over $20,000.00 in unpaid support, received a suspended sentence of 3 years on one count of non-support. Mr. Crawford will begin his five year probationary period in the fall after he is released from jail on unrelated charges.

Jared Wilkens, 40, of Baltimore, Maryland plead guilty to two counts of criminal non-support of his two children. Judge Marshall handed down a suspended sentence of three years and placed Mr. Wilkens on probation for one year. Mr. Wilkens owes in excess of $15,000 in unpaid support.

A pre-requisite to a guilty plea is that the defendant admits to doing the crime with which he was charged. In each of the cases above, the fathers admitted that they