HARRISBURG, PA – A Philadelphia man, Damien Hartsfield, 37, has been sentenced to 6 to 12 years in prison for forging documents to escape child support payments. The announcement was made by Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry following Hartsfield’s conviction on several felony charges.
In January, Hartsfield was found guilty of forgery, theft by deception, identity theft, conspiracy, perjury, and misdemeanor false swearing. This Tuesday, he was sentenced and is also required to complete 3 years of probation following his prison term. Additionally, he must pay $5,400 in restitution to the mother of his child.
Hartsfield engaged in an elaborate scheme to avoid paying over $17,000 in child support. He falsified documents to suggest that the child’s mother no longer sought support payments. This included impersonating the mother using a fraudulent driver’s license and submitting a notarized letter to the family court.
Despite being awarded $10,000 in an unrelated lawsuit, Hartsfield was unable to claim this due to his outstanding child support. After manipulating court documents and lying under oath, he used the lawsuit money for a vacation in Cancun. The fraud was eventually uncovered by the child’s mother, who alerted authorities.
Attorney General Henry emphasized that this conviction and sentence reflect the seriousness of Hartsfield’s actions and ensure that the child support order and owed payments are enforced.