Lockdowns continue to affect the poor after two men who left their homes in search of food now have to pay hundreds of dollars to stay out of prison.
Philip Curtis has until August 19 to pay a $375 fine for breaching emergency orders.
Officers arrested him around 9am on Sunday as he walked to his mother for food.
He told the magistrate, “I didn’t have no food home.”
Now, Curtis has to give the government money he could have spent on groceries to avoid spending one month in prison.
Police also arrested Tamiecko Williams, 37, as he walked along Colleton Street in Ridgeland Park at 8:45am on Sunday.
He told arresting officers that he was headed for breakfast and to his aunt for money.
In court, he admitted to breaking the stay-at-home order and telling police his name was Kyle Williams.
He said that he needed to feed his three children, two of whom are babies.
According to Williams, he’s the sole breadwinner because his girlfriend lost her job due to the pandemic.
He said he left home to feed them.
Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt fined him $500 or one month in prison.
He has until August 26 to pay up.
Since the coronavirus restrictions came into effect in March, the poor have been arrested while looking for food and water.
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