FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 14, 2008
TERRY W. TRAVIS SENTENCED IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula, on July 11, 2008, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, TERRY W. TRAVIS, a 50-year-old resident of Helena, appeared for sentencing. TRAVIS was sentenced to a term of:
- Probation: 5 years
- Special Assessment: $100
- Restitution: $82,925.36
TRAVIS was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to willful failure to pay child support.
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.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that TRAVIS will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, TRAVIS does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
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.
