DOCUMENT: Crime

Time To Hold On 21

Tennessee man with massive brood facing new support problems

Desmond Hatchett

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Time To Hold On 21

MAY 29--The Tennessee man who made headlines this week over his struggles to pay child support for the 21 kids he has fathered with about a dozen women may soon find it even more difficult to pay for his brood.

That's because Desmond Hatchett, 29, could be headed to prison for violating terms of a probation sentence handed down following a 2008 felony conviction. Hatchett, pictured in the mug shot at left, was arrested in late-2007 in Knoxville on aggravated assault and armed robbery charges after he allegedly pistol-whipped, shot, and robbed a man. He pleaded guilty last year to the assault count and, after spending about six months in jail, was placed on "enhanced probation" until March 2014.

Last month, a probation revocation notice was lodged against Hatchett, who was charged with twice driving with a suspended license, violating his curfew on nine occasions, and failing to pay court-ordered probation fees. Hatchett is scheduled for a July 30 hearing on the revocation matter.

Hatchett, whose criminal history runs 14 pages (one for every baby mama), was arrested last November on a domestic violence charge. While that bust triggered an earlier probation filing, both the criminal case and the revocation move were subsequently dismissed after the alleged victim declined to cooperate with authorities.

Hatchett's oldest child is 11 and he is the father of two newborn babies. The earliest entry on his rap sheet is for statutory rape and rape of a child, charges for which he was acquitted at trial. (6 pages)