Locals Arrested in $950K Child Support Sweep

A Lacey man and several other local residents were among 47 people arrested by the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department last week in a three-day sweep targeting parents owing a total of nearly $1 million in child support payments, officials announced Wednesday.

Members of the Sheriff’s Department made arrests all over the county between Tuesday, Dec. 6 and Thursday, Dec. 8 as part of statewide child support reimbursement program, the department said in a press release. In total, the parents owed $950,740.30. Most were temporarily lodged in the Ocean County Jail awaiting a first court appearance, officials said. 

Forked River resident Patrick H. Garrison, 33, of Buena Vista Road, was arrested by the Sheriff’s Department detectives for failure to pay $11,782.28 in child support.

A Waretown man, Michael E. Driscoll, 51, was arrested for owing $83,472.30 – the second-highest amount owed among the people picked up in the raid. 

Also arrested were:

• Dennis Roberts, 26, of Barnegat, owing $6,914.
• Stanley Blair, 44, of Waretown, owing $7,395
• Shaun J. Connelly, 32, of Manahawkin, owing $7,633
• Scott J. McSorley, 46, of Manahawkin, owing $5,309.57

The arrests come nearly five months after when the Sheriff's Department picked up 64 parents owing more than $1 million.