Texas' Most Heinous Child Support Evader Caught

AUSTIN, December 12, 2008 – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, and Special Agent in Charge Mike Fields of the Dallas Regional Office for the Department of Health and Human Services–Office of Inspector General today announced that child support evader Troy Neel had been arrested. Neel, a former professional baseball player, owes more than $700,000 in unpaid child support. The arrest concludes a joint eight-year effort to hold Neel accountable for failing to pay court-ordered child support.

Troy Neel’s arrest concludes a lengthy multi-jurisdictional effort to hold him accountable for failure to pay court-ordered child support,” said Attorney General Abbott. “While living on a private island in the South Pacific, the defendant ignored his legal obligation to support his children, who are owed more than $700,000 in unpaid child support. We are grateful to the Dallas Regional Office of the Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas and the U.S. Marshal’s Office for their tremendous assistance with this case."

Federal agents arrested Neel on Thursday at the Los Angeles International Airport as he exited a flight from Sydney, Australia.

Neel, who played professional baseball for the Oakland Athletics from 1992 to 1994, owes $724,325 in unpaid child support. Neel also played professional baseball in Japan and Korea, before purchasing a resort island in the Republic of Vanuatu in the South Pacific, where he has resided since 2000.

In 1998, Neel was ordered to pay $5,000 a month for the support for his son and daughter. The child support order was based on Neel’s earnings as a professional athlete.

On March 2, 2005, a San Antonio-based federal grand jury indicted Neel. The indictment, which was unsealed Thursday, alleges that Neel has traveled in foreign commerce since December 1998 in order to avoid paying child support for two children.

Neel remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service awaiting transfer to the Western District of Texas. Upon conviction, Neel faces up to two years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine.