Macomb County man accused of owing $40K in child support

Man accused of owing more than $40,000 in back child support

47-year-old Charles Christie of Macomb Township was charged with failing to pay child support after nine show-cause hearings and six bench warrants.

MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A man is accused of owing over $40,000 in child support and prosecutors say it is time to pay up. 

What they're saying:

47-year-old Charles Christie of Macomb Township was charged with failing to pay child support after nine show-cause hearings and six bench warrants.

"If he has the means and is able, as in this case, it’s determined already," said Prosecutor Pete Lucido. "He just failed, refused, neglected to follow the law and the judges have every reason to jail him."

Lucido said it is unclear just how many years Christie has allegedly been avoiding payments, but it has been many, and he says only one child is involved.

Christie's bond was set at $10,111, which is one quarter of what he owes. 

"90% of the individuals, it may be as high as 95%," Lucido said. "Find that 25% of the outstanding costs to get out of jail immediately when they're picked up."

Big picture view:

Christie’s case is just one of many. In Macomb County, more than $300 million of child support is owed. Lucido told FOX 2 it was time for Christie to pay up.

"Here’s the reason why," he said. "We’re looking at your file we're going to be looking at you. We’re going to ask you to go ahead and do the right thing morally and legally and when you don’t then it’s time to go ahead and have to use the court system to brute force the rights of a child."

What is the solution?:

Lucido says it is up to the courts to take this issue seriously and follow through. Only once the amount owed is over $5,000 can the prosecutor's office start getting involved. 

"The system is broken as a result of it. We have over $300 million worth of outstanding child support in Macomb County. What does that tell you? It tells you that people aren’t doing what they need to do legally and morally."