Sheriff rounds up child support scofflaws.

NORRISTOWN>> Some Montgomery County residents were startled awake by a knock at their doors during the early morning hours of Wednesday — county sheriff’s deputies paying a visit to those who allegedly owed back child support.

Teams of deputies took seven people into custody, six men and one woman, during an overnight sweep of parents who allegedly failed to pay child support or did not show up for domestic relations hearings and who collectively owed $66,369 in child support arrearages for 11 children, according to county Sheriff Sean P. Kilkenny.

“One defendant resisted arrest, but was taken into custody without incident,” Kilkenny said.

The raids were conducted in numerous communities, including Pottstown, Royersford, Lansdale and East Greenville.

Each of the alleged offenders will be taken before a county judge for a hearing to answer to the allegations or to make payment arrangements.

According to the sheriff’s office, the following people were taken into custody to await hearings:

• Gary Arnold, of the 500 block of Colonial Drive, East Greenville, who allegedly owed $12,435.54 for three children.

• Shawn Bingaman, of the 100 block of County Line Road, Lansdale, who allegedly owed $29,889.85 for two children.

• Zachary Christ, of the first block of Second Avenue, Royersford, who al- legedly owed $3,144.75 for one child.

• Richard Davis, of the first block of Green Street, Lansdale, who allegedly owed $6,350.23 for one child.

• Michael Silver, of the 500 block of Main Street, East Greenville, who allegedly owed $946.02 for one child.

• Nicole Smith, of the 100 block of Penn Street, Lansdale, who allegedly owed $1,198.39 for two children.

• Jason Stephen, of the first block of Dare Lane, Pottstown, who allegedly owed $12,404.74 for one child.

The sheriff’s department encourages those parents who have missed a court date to turn themselves in rather than having deputies drag them out of bed early in the morning.

Those who do not turn themselves in are placed on the office’s “Domestic Relations Most Wanted for Child Support” list and have their photos and last known addresses placed on the sheriff’s web site and on Twitter and Facebook accounts. Officials previously said the office receives several tips from people through social media.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of someone wanted on a bench warrant for failing to pay child support is encouraged to call the office’s tip-line at 610-278-3340 or tipsters can anonymously send a tip to the office through the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office web site at www.montcopa.org/sheriff

Tips can also be submitted by posting a message on the department’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.