Parents behind on child support, beware the District Attorney’s office is after you.

It was announced earlier this month that the Department of Human Resources had partnered with the DA’s office to enforce delinquent child support payments.

This week, District Attorney Walt Merrell announced that their newly hired investigator, David Brownlee, has been busy ensuring that parents who have not fulfilled their child support obligations are doing so.

“Investigator Brownlee quickly took action, and he has caused 21 people to be arrested, and has escorted nine others to the courthouse so that they could pay off their obligations,” he said. “Four of those individuals were from out of state.”

Merrell said that Brownlee is just as driven as his office and DHR is.

“We’d much rather you pay what you owe than have to put you in jail,” he said. “We have seen 30 people in two weeks be confronted with payments. When does your number come up? We ask you to pay your obligations now. Pay up and we will ask the judge to recall the warrants.”

DHR partnered with the DA’s office after longtime attorneys Sonny and Linda James retired.

Assistant Das Lee Enzor and Gypsy Smith are handling prosecution.

Merrell encouraged parents who are currently delinquent in their child support payments to contact Jeff Sellers, the DA’s child support unit coordinator, at 334-427-7956 and make arrangements to get compliant in order to avoid arrest.