Government goes after deadbeat parents

ARLINGTON, Va. (NBC) - Dads and moms behind in child support by hundreds, thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars have become very good at slipping away.

"Probably 90% of the time we knock on the door and there's no answer or the person we're looking for does not live there," said Arlington County Deputy Sheriff Rodney Singer.

If local officers are serving a civil warrant and they determine the parent has moved across state lines, local police can't go after them. But, if they owe more than $5,000 and cross state lines, it becomes a felony and that is when the federal government gets involved.

"You're talking about a willful intent to avoid paying for children. For their livelihood, for providing the basics that they so deserve," said Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Inspector General Gerald Roy.

And now federal investigators are naming names. They've developed a fugitive website aimed at tracking down the top offenders.  At the top of the list is Robert Sand, who owes more than $1 million in child support.

Some of the biggest cases involve pro athletes, including former NBA player Tyrone Nesby, who pleaded guilty to failure to pay child support and is now paying nearly $1 million.

Since 2006, the feds have tracked down more than 500 deadbeat parents, recovering more than $33 million in child support.