'Merry Christmas, Deadbeat Daddies' yields 40 arrests

Durham police and sheriff's deputies charged 40 people during a two-day operation targeting people accused of owing child support and of drug offenses.

The people arrested in the "Merry Christmas, Deadbeat Daddies" sweep owed $282,348.85 in child-support payments, police said. Officers also seized heroin, cocaine and marijuana Tuesday and Wednesday.

The amounts owed ranged from $203 to the $26,900, allegedly owed by Ruddie Leroy Bacchus, 37, of Bowler Drive.

Deputies and officers arrested 32 people for nonpayment of child support. Twelve were already jailed on other charges.

Eight other people were arrested on a variety of charges, mostly drug offenses.

They released a list of those arrested.

The joint operation was conducted by the Durham Police Department's HEAT 1, HEAT 2 and Uniform Patrol squads and the Child Support Enforcement Division of the Durham County Sheriff's Office.