Three Elmhurst Residents Among 12 Arrested in Operation Love 2

Three Elmhurst residents were among 12 fathers arrested on Valentine's Day after the DuPage County Sheriff's Department conducted a sweep in search of parents delinquent in child support payments. Dubbed Operation Love 2, the initiative is targeting a total of 43 parents who have fallen behind.

Arrested Feb. 14 were Eugene Bresley, Matthew Brown and Steven Schanz of Elmhurst. Also picked up were Miguel Restrepo of Lombard, Roberto Davila of Addison, Derik Denton of Downers Grove, Juan Estrada of Itasca, Dennis MacLennan of Aurora, Rene Mendoza of Wood Dale, John Otero  and Arturo Villafuerte of Villa Park, and Kevin Stearns of Addison.

Combined, the 12 parents owe nearly $240,000 in back child support payments, according to DuPage County officials.

Additional parents from Woodridge, West Chicago, Glen Ellyn, Westmont, Bartlett, Carol Stream, Roselle, Glendale Heights, Bloomingdale and Warrenville are being sought. In all, the 43 targeted owe $1.3 million in unpaid child support.

“Paying court-ordered child support is not an option,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a prepared statement. “In these difficult economic times, single-parent families rely on that income to provide even the basic necessities for their children. My office is 100 percent committed to making sure that delinquent parents live up to their obligations and pay their child support.”

Delinquent parents are placed under arrest and taken to DuPage County Jail, where they are either held or released on bond.

This is the second year the county has conducted the roundup. Last year's sweep ended with the arrest of 15 parents owing a combined $660,000.

The purpose of the sweep is to make them pay, Berlin said.

“We will use every tool available to locate delinquent parents and ensure that they make their court-ordered child support payments," he said.

DuPage County Child Support Enforcement Program works with the Illinois Department of Heatlthcare and Family Services to collect millions of dollars in financial support for custodial parents each year. Last year, about $42 million was recovered.

“Parents have a duty and responsibility to take care of their children,” DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba said in a prepared statement. “They have obligations to fulfill, just like every parent does, but when they are not responsible, there have to be repercussions.”

Parents in need of child support enforcement services can contact the Illinois DHFS child support call center at (800) 447-4278.

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