LHHATL Stevie J avoids prison sentence in child support case, gets sent to rehab instead
Stevie J remains a free man–but that freedom comes with a twist. The latest drama in the ongoing Stevie J kids saga came in a New York City courtroom this week, as the Love & Hip Hop Atlanta star so far avoided jail time in a child support case that threatens to drag on for months.
Stevie, who has at least five children by four women, is being sued for $1.1 million in child support payments. According to VH1’s report on the situation, the payments only relate to two of the Stevie J kids, but apparently go back as far as 1999–meaning that, if the allegations are true, Stevie has failed to pay approximately $60,000 per year for the past 17 years. And, according to noted gossip site Fameolous, the situation had become outright bleak for Stevie even before his day in court:
Bank tried to take $2mill out of Stevie J account for child-support. They made him go negative. He's facing 2 years. If he pays he's good?
— Fameolous (@Fameolous) September 3, 2016
However, while appearing before the judge in his case, Stevie admitted to using cocaine twice in the past year. Because drug use is a violation of his probation, the judge ordered Stevie “to a 30-day in-patient facility.” Once he’s completed his treatment, Stevie will be required to pass “routine drug tests” and will be under “GPS-monitored house arrest” until his “intense out-patient treatment” is complete.
After leaving the court, Stevie J appeared belligerent–the New York Daily News reported that he “yelled after” U.S. Attorney Andrew James DeFilippis as the prosecuting attorney in his case walked in the other direction. “”You wanna have a word with me, Andrew?” yelled Stevie, before explaining his motives to reporters: “I’m a grown man and he’s a grown man, and he’s making allegations that might take me away from my family, so of course if we’re on the street why not have a heart-to-heart?”
Regarding the sentence–and, specifically, his upcoming house arrest–Stevie was equally frank: “I think it’s a bunch of bullsh!t.” When asked for clarification, Stevie said “Of course I’m not OK with it, but it’s more or less like confinement to home for what? ‘Cause I’m a black tax-paying citizen taking care of all his kids?”
The Stevie J kids were with their father in court–and, despite emotions running over on the street, the family appeared optimistic on social media both before and afterward:
A Bossip report from earlier this summer states that the next court date has been set for December 5th. Though Stevie will have completed his 30 days in rehab before then, it’s unknown if the court date has been rescheduled because of the judge’s most recent ruling.
RELATED ARTICLE: How many kids does Stevie J have? Complete list and photos for LHHATL star
(Photo credits: Stevie J kids via Instagram)
