McHenry County Blog

The Northwest Herald did a front page story on fathers in McHenry County Jail. I scanned it at the time, but that was before I lost my images in a hard drive crash.

It was a good article, to which I would link if the NW Herald’s search engine was adequate.

I was reminded of the underlying story I wanted to write by this May 26th Chicago Tribune story, entitled,

No job,
but child
support
still due

I tried to find that article by typing in all but the last two words in the title and nothing popped up. Didn’t matter, because the Tribune hides its articles after 30 days.

And it doesn’t matter for the purpose of this story.

Before my friend Mark Enghstrom was diagnosed with a fast spreading cancer, he was in one of the McHenry County divorce wars. Having endured one myself, we discussed the details too often.

He wanted as much time with his kids, Luke and Tabatha, as he could get. I remember one time he took them on a vacation in the almost broken-down panel truck he used for his carpentry and painting jobs. They always went camping. He could never afford a motel room.

I think they went to Iowa the time I am remembering his having told me about.

In any event, they were in farm country and he saw a farmer on a tractor. Mark offered him $15 to let Luke drive it. The farmer accepted it. Luke learned to drive a tractor in junior high school, just as farm kids do.

During the hearing on child support, he was so proud that he had just gotten a job selling insurance for some “Christian” insurance agent.

The $35,000 he testified to was not from commissions he had earned; it was a starting stipend.

And, guess what?

It disappeared when Mark called the boss on some unethical behavior.

But, did the child support decrease?

Oh, no.

It just kept mounting up as his carpentry and painting work did not bring in anything close to $35,000 a year.

(And that, a friend reminded me, is an understatement to Mark’s abilities. He was a craftsman. Look at the cove molding in our kitchen and you’ll agree. Ask my wife about the discussion of color for our bedroom and downstairs bathroom, where you can still seen a shoe mark as he distressed the striped faux French design he created. He used to call me “a handyman’s delight.”)

In any event, Mark’s ex-wife’s attorney seemed to think she could wring money out of Mark’s rock. She kept taking him to court again and again and, of course, Mark could never pay what he owed in child support, let alone the lawyer’s fees for taking to court repeatedly.

Eventually, the lawyer asked that Mark be tossed in jail for not paying the child support.

Right along with the violent criminals.

The irony is that Mark had just started a job that would pay decent money. Naturally, he lost it because he was in jail.

At the time I wondered about the logic of Judge Marty Zopp’s expecting a father to pay back child support while incarcerated.

I think Mark was in jail at least a month. (He was put in jail twice, for this offense, once earlier for not very long.)

At one of the status hearings, I interjected myself into the proceedings, saying I had a job for him.

The judge admonished me for speaking out of turn, but let Mark out that day.

We went to the McHenry County Fair and had lunch. How pale his skin was from all those days without sunlight.

Anyway, that’s what the two stories about Dad’s not being able to pay their child support when they lost their jobs brought forth from my memory bank.

Mark died in 2005 after having left an indelible mark on our family. My son sometimes says he “hates God,” because of Mr. Mark’s and South School Librarian Mrs. Pearl’s deaths. I see his handiwork in the kitchen, bedroom, living room and both bathrooms. The last thing he was able to do was put up the towel rack in the downstairs bathroom after painting it. It pretty amazing how often his craftsmanship leads my brain to think of him.

The irony is that the attorney who ran up all the bills trying to collect child support that did not exist did not get paid.

= = = = =
In the photos with people, you see Luke and Tabatha with their father Mark Engstrom.

I didn’t.

But, today while waiting for the vote on the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich and listening to Channel 9’s DNA paternity show, the following press release from Patrick Fitzgerald arrived.

Fox has also covered the entire proceedings so far. Channels 2, 5 and 7 decided fictional soap operas were more important to air after the Governor’s unsworn closing statement.

I thought some of my readers might find it of interest.

CHICAGO – A former Chicago area man was convicted of failing to pay more than $65,000 in child support over more than a decade in what is believed to be the first such criminal case tried before a jury in Federal Court in Chicago, federal law enforcement officials said today.

The defendant, Maurice Bell, 43, of Avondale, Ariz., and formerly of the Chicago area, was found guilty yesterday of one count of willfully failing to pay child support ordered in Du Page County for his now 13-year-old son, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Lamont Pugh, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General in Chicago.

Previous child support criminal cases brought in Federal Court here have resulted in guilty pleas, while this is believed to be the first such trial.

Federal authorities said they continue to actively investigate similar cases referred by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services in which children and non-paying parents reside in different states and to pursue federal prosecution in appropriate cases.

Bell remains free on bond pending sentencing, which was scheduled for May 6 before U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly. Bell faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to evidence presented at the three-day trial, Bell, who has been regularly employed by various mortgage companies and luxury auto dealers, has never made a voluntary payment under a child support order.

Beginning with an administrative order in 1996 and a court order issued in 1999 in Du Page County, Bell has been obligated to pay $520 a month in child support.

However, between 1996 and 2007, he paid a total of less than $25,000, all of which was garnished from his wages, resulting in an arrearage, plus interest, of $65,319.

Evidence showed that at times during this period, Bell had income in excess of $100,000 a year, and that between 2000 and 2006, he had available funds totaling more than $372,000, including more than $73,000 in gambling winnings.

The testimony of four witnesses – three former girl friends and a golf partner – showed that Bell spent lavishly on luxury cars, clothes, shoes and golf.

The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shoshana Gillers and Edward Kohler. The Du Page County State’s Attorney’s Office assisted in the case.

At sentencing, the Court will determine the appropriate sentence to be imposed under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

I didn’t.

But, today while waiting for the vote on the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich and listening to Channel 9’s DNA paternity show, the following press release from Patrick Fitzgerald arrived.

Fox has also covered the entire proceedings so far. Channels 2, 5 and 7 decided fictional soap operas were more important to air after the Governor’s unsworn closing statement.

I thought some of my readers might find it of interest.

CHICAGO – A former Chicago area man was convicted of failing to pay more than $65,000 in child support over more than a decade in what is believed to be the first such criminal case tried before a jury in Federal Court in Chicago, federal law enforcement officials said today.

The defendant, Maurice Bell, 43, of Avondale, Ariz., and formerly of the Chicago area, was found guilty yesterday of one count of willfully failing to pay child support ordered in Du Page County for his now 13-year-old son, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Lamont Pugh, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General in Chicago.

Previous child support criminal cases brought in Federal Court here have resulted in guilty pleas, while this is believed to be the first such trial.

Federal authorities said they continue to actively investigate similar cases referred by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services in which children and non-paying parents reside in different states and to pursue federal prosecution in appropriate cases.

Bell remains free on bond pending sentencing, which was scheduled for May 6 before U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly. Bell faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to evidence presented at the three-day trial, Bell, who has been regularly employed by various mortgage companies and luxury auto dealers, has never made a voluntary payment under a child support order.

Beginning with an administrative order in 1996 and a court order issued in 1999 in Du Page County, Bell has been obligated to pay $520 a month in child support.

However, between 1996 and 2007, he paid a total of less than $25,000, all of which was garnished from his wages, resulting in an arrearage, plus interest, of $65,319.

Evidence showed that at times during this period, Bell had income in excess of $100,000 a year, and that between 2000 and 2006, he had available funds totaling more than $372,000, including more than $73,000 in gambling winnings.

The testimony of four witnesses – three former girl friends and a golf partner – showed that Bell spent lavishly on luxury cars, clothes, shoes and golf.

The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shoshana Gillers and Edward Kohler. The Du Page County State’s Attorney’s Office assisted in the case.

At sentencing, the Court will determine the appropriate sentence to be imposed under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi has sent a press release reporting college of back child support from a California guy who owed more than $25,000.

Bianchi reports that his office is after 225 deadbeat parents.

From the work that Pete Castillo did in my legislative office, I can tell you that prying money out of someone living in another state is a real accomplishment.

Here’s the press release:

DEAD BEAT DAD HOOKED BY BIANCHI

The McHenry County State’s Attorney, Louis A. Bianchi is pleased to announce that his office’s Child Support Enforcement Unit was recently able to collect child support arrearages in excess of $25,000 from an individual who had failed to pay any child support for three children in over three years.

This father had moved to California and the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office pursued the Defendant on behalf of the victim and was subsequently able to successfully collect these arrearages on the mother and her children’s behalf. Continued compliance will be monitored by the State’s Attorney’s Office.

Failure to provide support for a minor child can be charged as a Class A misdemeanor or Class 4 felony depending upon the facts meeting certain statutory requirements.

The State’s Attorney’s Office is currently pursuing approximately 255 parents to require them to fulfill their child support obligations.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi has sent a press release reporting college of back child support from a California guy who owed more than $25,000.

Bianchi reports that his office is after 225 deadbeat parents.

From the work that Pete Castillo did in my legislative office, I can tell you that prying money out of someone living in another state is a real accomplishment.

Here’s the press release:

DEAD BEAT DAD HOOKED BY BIANCHI

The McHenry County State’s Attorney, Louis A. Bianchi is pleased to announce that his office’s Child Support Enforcement Unit was recently able to collect child support arrearages in excess of $25,000 from an individual who had failed to pay any child support for three children in over three years.

This father had moved to California and the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office pursued the Defendant on behalf of the victim and was subsequently able to successfully collect these arrearages on the mother and her children’s behalf. Continued compliance will be monitored by the State’s Attorney’s Office.

Failure to provide support for a minor child can be charged as a Class A misdemeanor or Class 4 felony depending upon the facts meeting certain statutory requirements.

The State’s Attorney’s Office is currently pursuing approximately 255 parents to require them to fulfill their child support obligations.