Former Tacoma man named 'worst deadbeat dad' in U.S.
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TACOMA, Wash. -- A former Tacoma man has been branded the worst deadbeat dad in the nation.
Federal investigators say 52-year-old Kenneth Jones owes more than $259,000 in child support.
Jones made the Most Wanted Deadbeat Parents List compiled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The department launched the online list last year with photos and basic background information on alleged deadbeats, and says it tries the list when all else fails, but only if the collecting parent is willing to cooperate.
Jones' overdue child support for his two children dates back to 1998. In 2006, a warrant was issued for his arrest and he has been on the run ever since. Federal officials believe Jones left Tacoma in 2004, and is now living in Sydney, Australia.
The majority of child support cases fall under state jurisdiction, but the feds can intervene when parents don't pay for more than a year, owe more than $5,000 or leave the state or country to avoid paying.
"These are felony cases, and my prosecutors will work tirelessly to ensure violators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said DHHS Deputy Inspector General Gary Cantrell.
DHHS is working with the U.S. Attorney's Office and law enforcement officials to track Jones. They had hoped to arrest him not too long ago at his mother's funeral, but he never showed.
Federal investigators say 52-year-old Kenneth Jones owes more than $259,000 in child support.
Jones made the Most Wanted Deadbeat Parents List compiled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The department launched the online list last year with photos and basic background information on alleged deadbeats, and says it tries the list when all else fails, but only if the collecting parent is willing to cooperate.
Jones' overdue child support for his two children dates back to 1998. In 2006, a warrant was issued for his arrest and he has been on the run ever since. Federal officials believe Jones left Tacoma in 2004, and is now living in Sydney, Australia.
The majority of child support cases fall under state jurisdiction, but the feds can intervene when parents don't pay for more than a year, owe more than $5,000 or leave the state or country to avoid paying.
"These are felony cases, and my prosecutors will work tirelessly to ensure violators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said DHHS Deputy Inspector General Gary Cantrell.
DHHS is working with the U.S. Attorney's Office and law enforcement officials to track Jones. They had hoped to arrest him not too long ago at his mother's funeral, but he never showed.
How does an unemployed mother with 2 preschoolers attend the graduate program at the University of Michigan without the monetary assistance, support and encouragement of the children's father? She doesn't. Tuition and fees @ UofM are approximately $75K for 2 years, then add another $40K/year to support yourself and others.Â
My child support payments were 'bout $1600/month when I was making less than $4000/month by working 3 jobs (1 fulltime and 2 parttime). That's before she headed to graduate school. By the way, the support amount was 2 times the child support calculation for Washington! Â Â
Anne Michelle van Ackeren has been manipulating people and governmental (social) systems for decades.Â
Additionally, it helps to have millionaire parents and friends that know the right affluent magistrates to help propagate the illusion of justice in the U.S.A.
Another distortion, I was never married to Anne Michelle van Ackeren. I dated her twice before she purposely got pregnant via manipulation. The first time for 'bout two weeks before I found out she had a boyfriend that she keeping from me. The second time, I lived with her for 'bout six months, then I broke up with her 'cause she got tossed in jail for beatin' up our female roommate and other heinous manipulations contrary to my character.Â
No, I'm not hiding in Australia; I live in Australia.
What if he is dead?
@lee986321 Then his offspring and their mother can have a sigh of relief that he isn't such a loser....unfortunately, they know all too well that he is alive and well and a loser who feels his life is superior to theirs.
There are a lot worse than this guy. Some of the real low lifes have spawned dozens of kids. The only reason they are not the worst deadbeat dad is because they have never been ordered to pay child support.
Here is one loser and pictures of the loser women he impregnated.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2146545/Man-fathered-30-kids-11-different-women-says-needs-break--child-support.html
Kenneth, take care of your kids. Period.
If you don't like the settlement take the b'ach to court and get a new settlement. Man up.
I know the courts favor women in these court cases, all we can do is fight to change that. Skipping out on your kids isn't the way to do it.
Smart move to Australia; wonderful & free country to live in. Too bad they wouldn't let him take his children with him where they would have been FULLY SUPPORTED; instead the DEAD-BEAT WELFARE QUEEN wife got the kids....causing this mess!
@August100Â
WTF? Â Why would you denigrate the mother? Â Man, you're a scumbag.
@Diogenes @August100 Double like your response, Diogenes.Â
No, the mother isn't a WELFARE QUEEN! As a single mother, she put herself through graduate school while raising the two boys by herself. Definitely struggled financially but NEVER collected a dime from DSHS. Ken cannot take credit for raising these two incredibly bright, athletic gentlemen and he needs to step up to the plate now and pay back what he should have been paying the entire time - including college tuition and living expenses! It is sad that he hasn't been involved in the boy's lives. Not sure how he lives with himself.
@GoCougs88! Go Cougs!
I'm betting that he doesn't have a pot to urinate in nor a window to throw it out of.
The headline says it all. Â I'll bet even money he voted for obama. Â Aside from this, why haven't the politicians let these guys, and gals, off the hook? Â They forgave the banks, two car companies, wall street and the illegals for their wrong doings, all at the expense of the taxpayers. Â Seems like some form of discrimination must be going on here.
@Shadow Knucklehead...why respond when you have nothing worth saying? You're on the wrong website; this is about a loser who abandoned his children not the imbeciles who greedily stole millions from the American people or the issue of illegal immigrants who happily fill the jobs that the vast majority of our citizens want nothing to do with.
You sound like a "deadbeat dad" yourself. Are you worried they might be coming after you too?Â
@ShadowJust another irrelevant soapbox dbag comment.
Please explain the logic of how he would have voted for Obama while he's been on the run since at least 2006, possibly earlier. Do you think he had his absentee ballot mailed to his new address in Australia? Wouldn't that then make it a bit easier for authorities to find him, which they claim to be trying to do?Â
@Morticae @randola You're asking for logic from Shadow?  Good luck with that.
A 25 year old guy I worked with spent 6 months in jail for non-payment, was only 3 months behind. He was unemployed because of the economy and had no unemployment. His ex-wife was earning over $100K a year, had remarried to a high income attorney. Figure this...his jail time depended on him getting a job...how do you do that when you are in jail. His dad finally found him a job so he could get out. And they say there are no debtors prisons?
I have met some young males who are under child support rules and cannot get a license because of back support owed. Some have shown the judges that with a license, they could get a better paying job, but the judges won't relent. It's just crazy....
So all the years of non-payment by my boys' sperm donor should have been federal? He did all those things. Left the state, never paid, was picked up one time in oklahoma and they let him walk with a $50 payment that they kept for court costs and whatever. I never saw a penny from him. Nobody at the child support division ever lifted a finger or told me that I had a federal case.Â
Is that interest that they included with the amount owed? That does seem excessive, unless he had a premo job.Â
So they arrest and  prosecute him then what?Â
@samsloohouse They are UNEMPLOYABLE for life.....
The judge must have put the child support payments too high. Â He would have paid if the money was really going to the children.
Sure he would have. That's why he left the country and, from the total sum, paid nothing. He is a great dad. You go with that.
@sortbait - The argument that the money needs to go to the kids is one that puzzles me. Do they not need a place to live, lights, water, heat, etc.? If the two parents were together those would also be paid jointly (normally). "Going to the children" - like right into their hands?Â
@Somonecaresaboutsomething child support is for the children not the ex wife.
@Somonecaresaboutsomething correct,  the money should go to the kids not the exwife.  Why should the ex support her life style?  He has to pay for heat, light, rent also.  Wake upÂ
@sortbait. So you answered my question. The money to SUPPORT the kids shouldn't pay for heat, lights, house payment/rent. Gotcha, makes total sense.   Bitter much?Â
My ex owes us $131,000 how about helping us find him?
You should build him his own Facebook page. LOL
$259,000 / 15 years = $17,266.66 a year
$17,266.66 / 12 months = $1438.88 a month.
$719.44 a month per child
To put that in perspective, minimum wage in WA is currently the highest in the nation at $9.19 an hour = $367.60 for a 40 hour week.
I wonder what Kenneth Jones did for work before his divorce.
@Kocollins He was in computers...did very well right out of college. He was intelligent and full of charisma and very employable. Unfortunately, his success went to his head and he decided he could have more fun if he wasn't tied down to a wife and children. I know these people well and this "Welfare Queen" busted her ass to raise two children while getting a higher education. She continued to bust her ass, working 2 and 3 jobs constantly to keep the boys clothed, a roof over their heads and allow them to play sports. Now, she works 2 jobs to help them through college.  Â
The reason Ken has been labeled the "worst deadbeat dad" is because of his ability to adequately provide for his children. He chose to walk away from his responsibilities leaving a mother and two very young boys to fend for themselves while he pursued the good life. If he were barely scraping a living like so many men with multiple children his child support would've reflect as much and his face wouldn't be plastered in the news.Â
@Mocito I was just curious.  Still seems pretty high for child support - I am on the receiving end of child support and I see $91 a month - if it comes in.  Please note I said nothing bad about the mother or anybody else for that matter.  I was just musing on the amounts.
Thanks for the update.
@Kocollins @Mocito I do understand, it was August100 who called her a "Welfare Queen". I know too many men and women in your shoes and it is wrong. The amount is staggering compared to the measly sum that you receive. There is no way $91 keeps your kid (s) adequately provided for. The court uses a formula based on the amount of income. Ken had a large 6 figure income the last time the courts assessed his responsibilities. All of these naysayers believe the woman should bear the burden solely for having children but men participate in the act and should participate in raising them, financially, emotionally and by example.
Good luck.
@Kocollins I think he was a rock star.
@Kocollins He was nice to his wife sometimes that IS work.
Just doesn't pay well.. Â