PA Dad Gets 5 Years Probation for Child Support Debt

PORTLAND, ME – James Christopher Blyler, 38, of Hanover, Pennsylvania, was handed a five-year probation sentence in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby for his failure to pay child support. The court also ordered Blyler to pay $71,252.87 in restitution, covering his total arrearage.

Blyler’s transgressions began on April 20, 2004, when he was ordered by a Maine district court to remit $165 per week towards the support of his child until the age of 18. However, following the order’s issuance, Blyler skipped town to states such as Texas and Pennsylvania, leaving his responsibilities behind.

His arrest came on October 6, 2014, with Blyler pleading guilty on October 28, 2014. In May 2010, he was sentenced to three months in prison followed by one year of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to failing to pay child support.

Judge Hornby noted the purpose of criminal punishment as both restitution and child support compliance during his explanation of the sentence. He warned Blyler that any probation violation would result in a return to prison, emphasizing the importance of making amends.

The investigation into Blyler’s case was spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Child Support Division of Support Enforcement & Recovery.

Contact: Halsey B. Frank
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

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