By Mindy Ragan Wood
Staff Writer
Yukon’s newly-hired city marshals are racking up the fine revenue with the threat of jail time as more people turn up at city hall to pay instead of stay.
Yukon Police Chief John Corn told city council members during Tuesday night’s meeting that in the last month 64 warrants had been served which generated $61,000.
City Marshal Jerry Flowers and Deputy Marshal Ray Kimbrough were hired mid-July and began serving warrants August 1. Prior to their hire, the court was owed $1.5 million.
While the marshals are collecting unpaid fines and fees, other people are choosing to go to jail. The city’s jail has experienced a small uptick in those who get caught before they’ve paid their outstanding court fines.
Jail population numbers do not show a significant inmate spike. The number of people jailed in August this year was 52 compared to 46 last year.
“That hasn’t been much of a problem,” Corn said. “A good deal of them are able to take care of their fines, so not a great deal of people are sitting in jail. The marshals went to their home, business, place of employment or other location and served the warrant. We have some people who, when they find out we are looking for them come into the court clerk and self-surrender and take care of the warrant.”
