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Written by Brian McCormack
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Saturday, 03 January 2009 |
Early Friday morning, officers from the Sweetwater Police Department and the Nolan County Sheriff's Office attempted to collect over $18,000.
A special session of the County Court at Law was held to apprehend men and women who have been through the justice system and have yet to pay court related fees.
On orders from County Judge Gary Harger, the two departments went looking for 24 individuals who owe the city money for unpaid fines, court costs and restitution. Of the 24 offenders, 15 were apprehended.
According to Harger, the sweep is a valuable tool in retrieving the debts, "There's a lot of money out there that is owed," he said. "If nothing else, by us beating on doors it gets people wondering what the warrants are for and why we are after them."
Most of the negligent payees that were rounded up were booked into the Nolan County Jail until a sufficient payment can be made.
Sweetwater Police Officer Fabian Jimenez called the sweep "a success." Jimenez arrested six of the fifteen offenders and brought them before Judge Harger.
"It is easy to get a lot of these people," Jimenez continued. "That's the good thing about all of us officers working together. Most of us have arrested these guys before, so we know where they live. If we don't know where they live, we usually know a family member or where they work."
Jimenez also said that when word gets around that the police are after someone, they often arrange to turn themselves in or make their negligent payments. "We will get the money eventually," Jimenez said. "They can do it the easy way, or we can come looking for them."
According to official documents, the fifteen subjects that were arrested Friday were:
— Robert Blake Baugh, 411 W. Alabama, $1,454
— Christopher Juan Bernal, 1004 Cedar, $657
— Brian Keith Black, 901 Lamar, $593
— Monica V. Ceballos, 1103 E. Ave. B, $1,170
— David Ronald Daniel, 1718 CR 117, $909
— Thurman Gentry, 209 Cypress (Roscoe), $994
— Naomi Ann Kidd, 104 Hickory (Roscoe), $561
— Michelle LaFlore, 113 Robert Lee, $1,038
— Melissa Ann McBroom, 801 E. Louisiana, $707
— Billy Jack O'Pry, 302 W. Alabama, $757
— George W. Peeples II, 402 Neff, $857
— Jean Raven, 104 Alexander, $497
— Javier Romero, 303 W. Alabama, $757
— Ronney Kay Williams, 1011 View, $452
— Tavia Williams, 824 San Carlos, $1,136 |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 05 January 2009 )
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