BY STEVE KEMME
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON -- In an effort to crack down on delinquent parents, Butler County has issued a "wanted" poster listing the names of 127 people who have disobeyed court orders to pay child support.
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MOST DELIQUENT PARENTS
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These are the 10 parents who owe the most child support money on a "wanted" list of 127 delinquent parents issued by the Butler County Child Support Enforcement Agency:
Donald Dunn, $31,808.
Darrell E. Zinkhon, $31,567.
William Nesslein, $25,061.
Raymon E. Williams, $24,190.
John Riggins, $18,910.
William G. Hampton, $18,237.
Margo L. Grubb, $17,797.
Joseph H. Lipps, $16,681.
William Clemmons, $16,461.
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The amount of support individuals owe runs as high as $32,409. The 65 names not crossed out on the list are those who have not been located by the Butler County Child Support Enforcement Agency. County officials are hoping that displaying the posters in stores and post offices and publishing them in newspapers will lead to tips that help locate parents behind in paying support.
They also hope the negative publicity embarrasses those on the list and pushes them to start paying child support.
"There is power in shame," County Commissioner Mike Fox said. "They should be ashamed of themselves."
When developing the list, the agency started with the top 200 parents in support owed and deleted those who had begun to make payments. Ohio law requires parents with child support obligations to inform the agency of any changes in their address or job.
The county has been filing contempt-of-court charges against those who have failed to pay support and also have failed to notify the agency of address or job changes.
Those found guilty of contempt can be imprisoned up to 90 days and fined up to $1,000.
Anyone with information about the location of people on the wanted list should call 887-5679. Middletown area residents can call 424-5351. Anyone can call toll-free, (800) 542-0806, extension 5679.
The Butler County agency accepts and encourages anonymous calls.
"The general public might be able to help us out by giving us leads," said Daniel Cade, the agency's executive director.
Earlier this year, the agency began sending out monthly default notices to parents who had not paid support the previous month. From February through May, the county mailed more than 25,000 default notices.
The agency also issues the posters that contain photographs of the 10-12 most notorious parents.
Parents who don't pay child support also usually don't have contact or offer any emotional support to their children, said Mr. Fox, who fought for tough child support enforcement laws when he was a state representative.
"These children suffer greatly from that," he said. "We ought to periodically report the names of delinquent parents. The community should know who's willing to support their children and who isn't."
