Questions linger about enforcing back child support payments

CHARLESTON – The attorney representing the state of West Virginia in its attempt to collect child support Timothy Edmonds owes to his children in Wisconsin isn't saying what effect, if any, his indictment for sexual abuse has on collection efforts.

As previously reported in The West Virginia Record, Edmonds still faced some legal challenges despite the settlement in June of a sexual abuse civil suit naming him as a co-defendant.

In the suit, Hernshaw residents James and Debbie Green allege Edmonds sexually abused their daughter, Angel, in 2006, who at the time was a student at the Upper Kanawha Valley Christian School in Chesapeake.

The suit, records show, also named UKVCS, its parent church Chesapeake Apostolic Church and the church's pastor, K.D. Priddy.

The Greens alleged that Upper Kanawha Valley Christian School, Chesapeake Apostolic Church and Priddy were all aware of Edmond's "prior sexual deviant behavior," yet still employed him as an assistant youth pastor for both the church and the school.

Though all denied Edmonds was ever employed either as an assistant youth pastor or served in any capacity in the church's or school's administration, they all agreed to settle the case. The terms of the settlement, which was finalized on June 5, have not been disclosed.

In addition to the possibility of being indicted criminally for sexual abuse, which became a reality on July 31, Edmonds was wanted by the state Department of Health and Human Services for unpaid child support.

Records show on May 22, 2006, Putnam Family Law Judge William M. Watkins III found Edmonds in contempt of court, and issued a capias for his arrest for Edmonds' failure to abide by his Oct. 28, 2005 order to remain current in paying DHHR's Office of Child Support Enforcement.

According to court records, Diana L. Johnson, BCSE's attorney, made the motion for Edmonds to be held in contempt. At the time of an Oct. 13, 2005 hearing on Johnson' contempt motion, Edmonds was in arrears $14,070.34.

Records show Edmonds was first ordered to pay child support on June 15, 2001 for the two daughters he shared with his ex-wife, Angelic A. Francl. A native of Sheboygan, Wis., Edmonds moved to Hometown in Putnam County after leaving the U.S. Army in October 2003.

A notice to withhold income for child or spousal support was sent to Edmonds' then-employer, Alford Pest Control, from the Fond du Lac County Child Support Office on August 18, 2004. Records show the order was to deduct $150 a week from Edmonds' paycheck, which by then was 12 weeks in arrears.

Along with his capias, Watkins ordered that Edmonds be incarcerated in the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville until he paid "A performance and appearance bond in the amount of Fourteen Thousand ($14,000) CASH ONLY ..." Attempts to reach DHHR officials, including Johnson, in May to verify the warrant was still active were unsuccessful.

Another attempt was made to contact Johnson about not only the capias in lieu of Edmonds' indictment, but also if his arrearage was continuing to accrue. If so, the amount Edmonds owes would be over $28,000.

When contacted, Johnson, who served as a family law master from 1990 to 1996 and later as prosecutor from 1997 to 2001in Mason County, declined to comment, and abruptly hung up the telephone.

Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Circuit Court, Case No 2000FA000072A