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A grand jury has indicted Michael
Anthony Roberts of Anchorage for falsifying business records
to avoid paying child support, a felony. The state also filed
a misdemeanor charge Thursday against his accomplice, Lisa Ann
Jones, who allegedly helped Roberts evade his child support obligation.
"Our job is to collect child
support for tens of thousands of children. It's unfortunate that
parents are willing to break the law to avoid supporting their
children," said Barbara Miklos, director of the Alaska Child
Support Enforcement Division.
The Anchorage Superior Court
issued an arrest warrant today for Roberts, 38, who also is wanted
by the state on 16 charges for running an illegal guiding operation,
same-day airborne hunting, guiding and hunting without a license,
and unlawful possession of game. Roberts ran away Sept. 16 from
his hunting camp west of Talkeetna as state troopers were closing
in at the end of an undercover sting operation.
Authorities have not been able
to find Roberts, though the state seized two airplanes and several
weapons last fall and plans to auction one of Roberts' aircraft
in May to help pay his child support debt.
Roberts owes $65,000 in delinquent
child support and interest.
Roberts was indicted Thursday
for providing a false Social Security number to his employer
in Eagle River in March 1999. He faces a maximum of five years
in jail and a $50,000 fine on the felony charge. He also was
charged with criminal non-support, a misdemeanor punishable by
up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine.
Lisa Ann Jones, 38, of Anchorage,
was charged with aiding the non-payment of child support, a misdemeanor,
for allegedly assisting Roberts in his scheme to avoid child
support. The state alleges Jones deposited Roberts' money into
credit union accounts in her name to help him evade his child
support obligation.
Jones faces a maximum one year
in jail and a $5,000 fine if convicted.
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