Family Matters Star Darius McCrary Arrested at Border on Fugitive Warrant for Child Support
Former Family Matters star Darius McCrary was taken into custody by border authorities.
Public documents reviewed by Us Weekly indicate that McCrary, who is 49 years old, was apprehended by U.S. border patrol agents on Sunday, October 5. His detention was classified as a “fugitive arrest.”
The California legal statute cited in the records authorizes law enforcement officials to detain an individual without a warrant if there's reason to believe they are a fugitive from a different state.
McCrary is currently being held in a San Diego jail facility, with records indicating he is “not eligible for release” or to post bail.
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McCrary’s representative informed TMZ, the initial outlet to break the story, that the actor’s apprehension stemmed from a Michigan warrant issued for his failure to appear in court concerning unpaid child support obligations.
A spokesperson for McCrary commented on the arrest in a statement provided to Us Weekly, asserting that the actor “was detained at the Mexican border because he was collaborating with a property developer on a project to construct housing for the unhoused population in Tijuana, Mexico.”
“Darius was engaged in philanthropic work when he learned about a felony warrant issued at the Mexican border for failing to appear in court,” the statement explained. “That missed court date was linked to an ongoing disagreement over child support, for which Oakland County dispatched the court summons to Darius's P.O. Box, providing him with only three days to appear in a Michigan court. Regrettably, Darius had contracted Covid and consequently did not check his P.O. Box until the day following his scheduled court date. Nonetheless, he promptly informed the Judge, submitting a doctor's note confirming his Covid diagnosis.”
The actor's representative further stated that McCrary's son, now 18 years old, is the recipient of the actor's trust, from which he “receives monthly financial provisions.”
This incident marks another legal entanglement for the former child star. Back in 2015, McCrary faced arrest in Michigan for neglecting child support payments. The Daily News documented that a judge mandated McCrary's arrest during a court hearing. Following his booking, McCrary settled a fine of $5,500 and was subsequently set free.
Eight years following his initial arrest, McCrary was again taken into custody due to overdue child support. In November 2023, TMZ revealed that McCrary owed $52,788.04 in outstanding payments, accumulated since March 2019. He entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment. The court set McCrary's bail at $13,197. Additionally, he was mandated to wear a GPS tracking device.
McCrary was formerly wed to Juliette M. Vann between 2005 and 2006, to Karrine Steffans from 2009 to 2011, and to Tammy Brawner from 2014 to 2017. He has three children whose personal details have been kept out of the public eye. According to various reports, McCrary’s legal challenges were in connection with Brawner.
McCrary discussed his struggle with child support issues during a 2024 interview on the “No Jumper” podcast.
“It caused considerable distress. My children, you know. It’s difficult for a man to fulfill the role of a father in this nation, particularly — and I hesitate to state this — [when] you are a Black man, you face compounded difficulties,” he pondered, admitting that his legal troubles profoundly impacted his psychological well-being.
“I haven’t truly experienced periods of depression because life has generally been quite favorable,” he stated. “However, what many fail to grasp about existence is the necessity of accepting both the positive and negative aspects.”
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McCrary gained widespread recognition for portraying Eddie, the eldest offspring of Carl and Harriette Winslow, in Family Matters. This popular sitcom aired for nine seasons, from 1989 until 1998.
After his tenure on Family Matters, McCrary proceeded to take on various acting roles. He featured in multiple television series, such as Kingpin in 2003, Committed in 2005, among others. In 2009, he became part of the cast of The Young and the Restless, playing Malcolm Winters. He stayed with the daytime drama until 2011. Additionally, McCrary lent his voice to the character Jazz in the Transformers film.
More recently, McCrary held a starring role in the series Monogamy from 2018 through 2021. He also made a guest appearance on American Soul.
