Despite the defendant being unemployed, a Cass County judge has agreed to sentence a Royal Center man to pay more than $20,000 in child support or serve a 16-year prison term.
During a hearing on Monday, Cass Superior Court II Judge Rick Maughmer asked 36-year-old Starling Logan Yeo how he planned on paying his outstanding child support for his two children.
“Here and there,” he said.
The judge said that approach would not be acceptable. He informed Yeo that if he could not come up with $97 a week for the next 16 years, he would likely spend time in a correctional facility to serve out the balance of his sentence for nonsupport of a dependent.
Yeo said his mother was helping him as he sought employment. He said he worked side jobs installing drywall and was willing to do whatever it took to come up with the money.
“Anything for my kids, your honor,” he said.
Maughmer asked Yeo about his level of education. Yeo said he had not finished high school but that he was working toward earning a general education development certificate, or GED.
Public defender James Knight and private counsel Douglas Cox, along with deputy prosecutor James Ackermann, negotiated terms of Yeo’s plea deal, which called for the maximum sentence for each class C felony to be served consecutively on probation.
The agreement stated that Yeo, who has already spent 95 days in jail, would remain free to support his family unless he violates the terms of his probation.
• Kevin Lilly is news editor of the Pharos-Tribune. He can be reached at 574-732-5117 or kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com.
