Informant in Regusters case says she's still owed thousands

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- There is controversy surrounding the reward money in the case of Christina Regusters.

The individual who provided police with crucial information says she's only been paid a fraction of the reward money.

It was one of the most heinous crimes in the city's recent history. A 5-year-old girl was kidnapped from her school and sexually assaulted. Over a $100,000 in reward money was being offered by different groups and individuals.

Ultimately, a confidential informant, who spoke exclusively with Action News Tuesday night, gave police crucial information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of Regusters.

"I would have done the same thing if it didn't involve a penny. And I'd do it again and again," the female informant said.

The case stirred such anger across the city that State Senator Anthony 'Hardy' Williams pledged to raise $30,000 for the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

"I will work night and day from now until the time this person's condemned to hell," Williams said at the time.

Jerry Mondesire who then headed city chapter of the NAACP pledged another $10,000 and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge # 5 offered another $5,000, but the informant says she's had a hard time collecting that money.

"Hardy Williams' office was very arrogant, very nasty, unbelievable," the woman said.

To be clear, $20,770 in reward money that was pledged through the Citizens Crime Commission was paid to the informant. But the money in question was not pledged through the commission.

"What you have here is people come to the news conference, they volunteer specific amounts of money, but when the people come forward that they're supposed to, they don't get paid," John Apeldorn of the Citizens Crime Commission said.

"All of our money has been paid, but unfortunately there are some folks that stepped up initially in terms of offering a reward, but have yet to pay that," Philadelphia Police Lt. John Stanford said.

A spokesman for Senator Williams says somebody in the office made a mistake.

"He stands by his commitment to raise the $30,000 and he's going to honor it. He has raised most of it and expects he will have it all shortly and be in touch with the Crime Commission," the spokesman said.

We never heard back from Jerry Mondesire, but FOP President John McNesby says no one contacted them to make a claim, but if their records show they owe money, they will pay it.

Meanwhile, the source worries that her experience may cause some people to hesitate coming forward with information.

"If they're doing it for the reward money, a lot of people may not do it again," the woman said.

The Crime Commission says it cannot hold individuals accountable for what they pledge on their own, but the agency does believe for the sake of the system, if they make a pledge they should honor it.