Alleged Deadbeat Dad Arrested After 20 Years

EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. (CBS13) -- A man who allegedly skipped out on his child support payments for 20 years was arrested by El Dorado County investigators when he returned to the United States, authorities said.

Gerry Boldt, a former youth minister, was arrested in Southern California for failing to pay about $190,000 to his ex-wife, according to investigators.

Carol Butler said Gerry "seemed like a nice guy" when they met at a high school football game 30 years ago, and they eventually married, but the couple divorced when their daughter was just five years old.

"She needed everything," Carol said. "She needed braces and just everything. She was active in sports."

Boldt rarely paid his $1,000 a month child support obligation, leaving Carol scrambling to cover her costs, she said. She only received about $15,000 total from him, sometimes in payments as small as $25.

"It just didn't seem fair," Carol said.

When the phone rang last Wednesday, investigators delivered the news Carol gave up hope of ever hearing.

Authorities said Boldt had been traveling the world for years, and had visited the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines to ask for additional passport pages. Boldt was listed on a passport denial list, which sparked a phone call to El Dorado County investigators.

The district attorney's office rushed an investigator down to the Los Angeles International Airport to arrest Boldt on charges of failure to provide, an accusation that could land him as much as 3 years behind bars.

If convicted, Boldt would still be responsible for paying the $190,000 in unpaid support.

"I think it would be great if other fathers see what happens to him, and chicken out and start paying rather than continuing to run," Carol said.