Family Matters star Darius McCrary made his first court appearance since he was arrested earlier this month, and he will remain in jail for now.
McCrary, 49, who is best known for his role as Eddie Winslow on the hit 1990s sitcom, appeared before a judge in San Diego, California for an extradition hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
The actor is wanted in Michigan on felony charges for allegedly failing to pay child support.
Related: ‘Family Matters’ Star Darius McCrary Arrested at US-Mexico Border
The prosecutor in San Diego County seemingly taunted the Hollywood star by invoking the name of the TV show that made him famous.
“Clearly Mr. McCrary is not attending to his family matters,” the prosecutor said in video posted online by ABC10 News. “He has two daughters and one son. This matter is regarding one daughter who lives in Michigan.”
McCrary was returning to the U.S. from Tijuana, Mexico, when he was taken into custody, according to the prosecution.
“He has previously been ordered to pay child support. As of August 20 of last year, he owed $75,473.26,” prosecutors said. “He owes substantially more at this time. However, Michigan could not give me a figure due to privacy reasons.”
Prosecutors argued that he had been in Mexico searching for real estate. However, the actor’s public defender said he was in Tijuana helping an organization build homes before he was arrested at the border.
McCrary was taken into custody on Oct. 5, under a “fugitive arrest” warrant, as previously reported.
Online law enforcement records showed he was detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents near the border, before being transferred to local custody in San Diego.
TMZ reported McCrary was ordered to pay his ex-wife, Tammy Brawner, $1,366 per month in child support following their 2019 divorce.
But a rep for the actor told TMZ the Michigan warrant was issued for a missed court appearance.
This isn’t the first time McCrary has landed in jail. He was taken into custody for failure to pay child support in both 2015 and 2023, prosecutors told the court Wednesday. Following his 2023 arrest, he was extradited from Los Angeles to Michigan.
The judge agreed with the prosecution that McCrary posed a flight risk and denied him bail during this latest court appearance. He was appointed a public defender after he initially tried to represent himself, but appeared confused by the legal process.
McCrary waived his right to challenge extradition, meaning he will be sent back to Michigan to face a judge on the child support charges.
Family Matters aired from 1989 to 1998 on ABC and CBS. The family sitcom followed a Black middle-class family living in Chicago and became one of the era’s most popular network comedies.
McCrary’s next court date is scheduled for Nov. 14.
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