Steuben Co. woman to jail for not paying child support

A Steuben County woman has been sentenced to four weeks in the Schuyler County jail’s work release program for failing to pay over $1,000.00 in back child support. According to Schuyler County Attorney Geoffrey Rossi, the woman was found to be in willful violation of a prior order of the Schuyler County Family Court that required her to pay $50.00 per month for the support of her two underage children. The last payment was made in January 2014, according to the Schuyler County support collection unit. Assistant County Attorney Steven Getman represented the support collection unit. According to Getman, the woman’s children are currently living outside her home and are on public assistance in Schuyler County. The punishment was imposed by Family Court Judge Dennis Morris. Morris ordered the woman to report to the Schuyler County jail this Saturday (October 25) to begin her sentence. “Under New York State law, parents who willfully fail to obey court orders of child support can be sentenced to up to six months for contempt of court,” Rossi said. “If the children are on public assistance, the Department of Social Services has standing to prosecute the case in Family Court.” The woman’s name was not released to protect the privacy of her children and family.