Employer Arrested in Child Support Case

A Ventura liquor store owner has been arrested for not answering charges in Ventura County Superior Court that he failed to withhold child support payments from one of his employees.

Investigators from the district attorney’s office arrested Raymond Leroy Ramirez, who is accused of failing to keep court-ordered child support payments from a worker.

Ramirez, who was working behind the counter of Avenue Liquors on Wednesday, was handcuffed and taken to Ventura County Jail on the outstanding warrant. He was later released on bail and given a new court date.

Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury said in a prepared statement that he would not tolerate employers who fail to withhold court-ordered child support payments from their employees.

But Ramirez said Thursday that he is simply being singled out for mishandling some paperwork.

“I lost the forms,” said Ramirez, who said the clerk no longer works at his store. “I thought I mailed it, but it fell behind my desk. They’re just going after the deep pockets.

“I’m here 13, 14 hours a day,” he said. “I haven’t had a day off in three years. I don’t know why they want to lock me up.”