August 25, 1996


Deadbeat dad is
caught by cops


ROBERT MOHL
News Editor

	MURFREESBORO -- The worst deadbeat parent in Northampton county was arrested
Friday.
	Melvin Martin Sr., 30, who owes $25,923 in unpaid child support was nabbed in
Murfreesboro at 5 p.m. following a tip to police. He is currently being held in
the Northampton County Jail with bail set at $2,500 bond.
	The information on Martin's whereabouts came during an unrelated drug
investigation. The drug suspect, who was not identified, told officers he had
seen Martin just 30 minutes earlier in Murfreesboro.
	"They decided to give us some information because they were in such trouble
themselves," said Sgt. Norman Smith of the Northampton County Sheriff's
Department drug unit.
	Following the lead, Sgt. Smith and Agent Eddie Buffaloe went to Lot 31 of
Wise's Mobile Home Park in Murfreesboro.
	"The children in the yard said they saw him go in," said Smith, who had a
poster with Martin's picture on it.
	Smith knocked on the door, and saw children inside, but nobody answered the
door. Believing Martin was hiding inside he went to get a search warrant.
Murfreesboro police, who had been called in, stayed behind to watch the trailer
which police said belonged to Martin's girlfriend.
	After obtaining the warrant the police kicked down the door. Martin, who was
standing in the living room, raised his hands and surrendered immediately.
	"I had seven officers with me," Sgt. Smith said. "When we broke the door down
he just gave up."
	Martin is being held in the Northampton County Jail on $2,500 bail. A bail
increase hearing is set for Monday.
	Smith said he expected the bond to increase "quite a bit" and added that bond
is usually increased to what the deadbeat parent owes.
	Martin will appear on Aug. 30 to answer the charge of failure to pay child
support. Additional charges are pending to increase the amount owed since the
original 1993 charge.
	Smith said Martin's days were numbered when his picture was published in the
esHeraldxe on Aug. 18.
	"Pretty much everybody in the eastern part of the county recognized him, but
nobody would give him up," he said.
	"Hopefully it won't be too long before we get these other guys," Smith added,
referring to the 753 other deadbeat parents in Northampton County.
	Taking part in the arrest were Smith, Buffaloe and Sgt. Allen Roye of the
Northampton County Sheriff's Office; Sgt. Raymond Eure and Officer Greg Parker of
the Murfreesboro Police Department; and Deputy Keith Williams of the Hertford
County Sheriff's Department.