FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 13, 2008
TERRY W. TRAVIS PLEADS GUILTY IN U.S. FEDERAL COURT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula on March 12, 2008, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, TERRY W. TRAVIS, a 50-year-old resident of Helena, pled guilty to willful failure to pay child support. Sentencing is set for July 11, 2008. He is currently released on special conditions.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
TRAVIS is the father of three minor children from his second marriage. The childrens' mother, the custodial parent, has resided in the states of Idaho and California, while TRAVIS has resided in Montana.
The parties were married and divorced twice. TRAVIS' first child support obligation for the three children was $375 per month, while his second support obligation was $656 per month. TRAVIS resided in a state other than his former wife and children during the pendency of the support obligations. TRAVIS had notice of his support obligation out of the Fourth Judicial District of the State of Idaho for the children and failed to pay that support since at least 1996. TRAVIS is currently in arrears in excess of $80,000.
During this time period, TRAVIS was employed by various employers, had bank accounts and funds with which to pay his support obligation; however, the only funds paid were those that were garnished from TRAVIS. The State of Montana suspended TRAVIS' driver's license for failing to pay his child support in 2000, but returned it to him in 2001 when he entered into a payment plan to pay his child support. TRAVIS defaulted on his payment plan.
TRAVIS faces possible penalties of 2 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 1 year supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the Inspector General's Office for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
