On December 27 in Miami, a Kentucky man believed to owe over $100,000 in child support was arrested after disembarking from a cruise ship and bringing the issue of nonpayment of child support into focus – leaving many families struggling financially as a result. Authorities had been keeping tabs on 46-year-old Jason Harper after he became one of several targets in Kentucky’s statewide manhunt for deadbeat parents who don’t meet their child support obligations. Kentucky authorities wanted Harper for failing to pay support payments over an extended period for both his children.
According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Harper had fled Kentucky to avoid detection; he was eventually located at a cruise terminal in Miami where he had just come off vacation; upon exiting from this vessel, he was immediately apprehended by federal and local law enforcement officers. Harper allegedly owes more than $100,000 in child support payments, creating financial hardship for both his children and their custodial parent. Kentucky uses legal measures, such as arrest warrants and wage garnishment to recover unpaid support payments; as Harper had refused to comply, law enforcement had become aggressively engaged against him to collect those owed to them.
The arrest is part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Marshals Service and local authorities to track down deadbeat parents who owe significant child support debts but who attempt to skirt around the system by hiding assets or fleeing states. Officials stressed that their arrest was a strong message against any attempt at dodging parental responsibilities.
Harper will likely face charges related to nonpayment of child support and is scheduled to appear before a judge in Miami before being extradited back to Kentucky. Meanwhile, U.S. Marshals Service officials have stated their intentions of continuing efforts to locate and apprehend those owing significant sums in child support payments. This case illustrates the significance of holding parents responsible for their financial responsibilities while assuring children receive all the support they require.