Posted on 12/15/2004 6:09:56 AM PST by kiki04
Man paid $20,000 in support for nonexistent child
The Associated Press December 13, 2004
ALBUQUERQUE — Steve Barreras’ attorney said he had never seen anything like it.
After Barreras was hauled into court, peppered with threats and demands for money for a child he adamantly denied fathering five years ago and even paid out $20,000 to support, his ex-wife was under a judge’s order to produce the child.
So last week, Viola Trevino picked up a 2-year-old girl and her grandmother off the street, promised them a trip to see Santa Claus and $50 and took the girl to court, alleging it was her daughter.
“I have seen hundreds of jury trials and I have never seen anything like this,” said Rob Perry, Barreras’ attorney.
It was the latest chapter in a bizarre case that has prompted Gov. Bill Richardson’s office to call for a full investigation.
The elaborate ruse stretched over five years and involved fake DNA evidence, a forged Social Security number and birth and baptismal certificates, court records show.
Last week, state District Judge Linda Vanzi ruled the child did not exist.
After feeding the standin daughter and her grandmother hamburgers, it seems Trevino parked near the courthouse, where she left the grandmother in the car and took the child into court.
Only when the grandmother followed her into court did Trevino admit that the child was not hers.
The 52-year-old Trevino announced to a family-court judge in December 1999 that she gave birth to a girl fathered by Barreras that September.
Barreras, 47, who says he had a vasectomy in 1998, said it was impossible . The couple had two adult children, a son and a daughter.
Paternity tests were ordered, and, in February 2001, Barreras was ordered to pay Trevino child support . Barreras continued to protest.
Trevino was ordered to bring in a birth certificate, but she did not.
Her adult daughter was even fired from a hospital after she was caught attempting to create documents pertaining to the birth of a Stephanie Trevino , according to court records.
Then another DNA paternity test was ordered, this time done by a private doctor, but Trevino did not obey the court order and instead went back to the same company where the first test was done.
Court records show that both DNA tests were done by a friend of the couple’s daughter.
Because of the DNA matches, Perry said the Child Enforcement Division of the state Human Services Department garnisheed Barreras’ paycheck , forcing him to pay child support.
“How can this happen? It is like a plane wreck caused by a cascading series of events,” he said.
Betina Gonzales McCracken, spokeswoman for the department, said her agency is not to blame because the division was only enforcing a court order for payment of child support .
When the agency got a tip that there might be fraud in this case, she said officials investigated.
Meanwhile, Vanzi’s ruling that the child does not exist has prompted reaction from Richardson’s office.
“The governor’s office has asked the Human Services for a complete report on what happened to make sure this mistake is never repeated,” said Billy Sparks, Richardson’s spokesman.
already posted 12-12-04
Even more info here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1299809/posts
This lady is scum. Her daughter's a piece of work, too.
He'll probably get billed for the investigation. ;)
Sounds to me as though the "ex-wife" was so used
to this guy sending her money in the form of
alimony and child support for the two older
children that she was desparate to find some
means of keeping him on the financial hook.
So where is the follow up to this? Surely this
gal isn't going to get away with defrauding the
COURT as well as her ex!
Most states have court/state child support scams fueling government coffers. It motivates the state to not even allow by law the payment of child support by direct parties. The monies are collected by the state and kept in the state's treasury and then dispersed each month. At any given time a medium sized state is sitting on tens of millions. Larger states may run in the billion range. Much like the oil for food program, there is also a managment fee charged by the state to perform this function.
I hope she ends up making license plates for some state in the big house for the rest of her life... or painting "recycling" signs on trash baskets for the state offices... or something else similarly useful to pay for her room and board behind bars.
Bad part is...if she would have brought a 5 year old instead of a 2 year old into the court...she'd have probably gotten by with it again.
thanks Graybeard, I'm still learning and was hoping someone would post the other thread
now come on, you already know deep down what's going to happen
with this... a sob story, a lib judge, and ta-da her problem will disappear and meanwhile the guy will be left holding the bag and hating the rest of us women.
enuf already! I did not see it on 12-12-04. So how about instead of just posting it has already been posted, you provide a link so I can go find it and read the story there instead of here. Thanks.
Thanks for the link on the other article.
You may be right, and I doubt he will get his $20,000 back either. This is another reason I am leaving the country when I retire, to get away from these scum sucking liberals.
"You may be right, and I doubt he will get his $20,000 back either. This is another reason I am leaving the country when I retire, to get away from these scum sucking liberals."
Where the heck is it safe??
ping
My plan is to go to the Philippines. I have been there so many times, it feels like home. I was there last month, and did not want to come back here.
Been a memeber for a while here, do not post for this exact reason. I will comment on ocassion, but never will I go out on a limb and Post anything again. Even if you search your not guaranteed to find possible duplicate thread(s).
might be good for some FReepers to calm down a little. just a thought.
Sorry if I went a bit overboard on a pet peeve.
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