Please contact Frank at www.jjoss5@att.net
I requested this Florida State flag and flew it in Vietnam. My intention
was to donate it to the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial.
Disabled Vietnam Vet Falsely Accused , Tried, and Convicted of Cable Theft By
Bright house Cable Company and the Polk County Legal System
Hello, My name is Franklin Wezyk.
I am a disabled Vietnam Veteran and a holder of a Purple Heart. I would like to tell you about
an experience that I have had, and perhaps enlist your help. Let me tell you a little about
myself, and then the . . . . . REST OF THE STORY.
I was born in 1945 in Miami, FL to a middle class family. I am one of 5 children, four boys and a
girl. We were raised as Baptist. I never had any legal altercations as a teen or a young man.
In 1965, at the age of 20, I joined the Army to become a paratrooper, knowing that I would
have to go to Vietnam.
I was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division after I had seven months of specialized training
and received my jump wings. I was sent to Ft. Campbell, KY., for an additional two months
training. I qualified for the Green Beret. However, I turned down the Beret, so that I could stay
with the unit that I had trained with originally.
I volunteered for Vietnam with the 1st Expeditionary force. After arriving in Vietnam, I was on
the front line of combat after one week of processing. I was at the front for a year.
After a couple weeks of R & R in Thailand, I volunteered for a 2nd tour. I was promoted to
Corporal, and returned to the front, where I made 2 combat jumps. Six months into my second
tour, I was wounded by an enemy grenade. I was evacuated to Japan for rehabilitation.
Then I was sent back to the States, and assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division in Ft. Bragg, N.
C. By this time, I was Sergeant and became a drill instructor. In 1969, I was honorably
discharged with a lifetime medical disability and was awarded The Purple Heart Medal.
I returned to Miami and used my GI Bill to go to school for 3 years to become a Union Iron
Worker. In 1979, I got my Florida Real Estate License. Then in 1985, I started my own
company, Miami Safe and Vault Movers, Inc.
I was visiting the VA Medical Center, and heard about a Veterans Halfway House for Post
Traumatic Syndrome, Alcohol and Drug Abuse. From that day, I hired strictly from the Halfway
House whenever I needed men to work for my safe company.
Eventually I started a remodeling business called "Two Vets", and continued to only employ
men from the halfway house.
In 1992, I began to search for a rundown fish camp in Central Florida. I wanted to employ Vets
to help me rebuild and renovate the camp. I found what I wanted. It was located in Lake Wales,
Florida, on Lake Pierce. It was called Timbershores Fish Camp. I renamed it Lake Pierce Eco
Resort. It is a beautiful lake front property, on 20 acres, with 8 cabins, 18 RV sites, and is
heavily wooded with beautiful giant oak trees covered with moss.
I took possession of the park in June, 1999, and brought up 5 vets from the halfway house. I
stayed in Miami during the week to run my safe company, in order to finance the improvements
and the mortgage on the property. I returned to the park every week-end to pay the bills and
check on the work progress. My monthly expenses averaged $5,000.
I always brought up new Veterans whenever a Vet would move on to a new life. Being at the
park helped these men get on their feet and regain their self respect. I paid them each $75.00
a week.
I notified the Lake Wales, Haines City, and the Winter Haven Police Dept., that if they found
homeless Veterans, to bring them to my park. This policy continued until I was arrested on a
fraudulent cable theft charge.
When I moved into the main house, it had active cable hooked up. I questioned the previous
owner about it, and he said that it was given to him FREE of charge by the company as an
incentive to eventually use their cable for the cabins.
On June 6, 2004 I returned from Miami for my usual week-end stay, two Polk County Detectives
were waiting for me. I was informed that they were investigating a charge of
cable theft for Bright house Cable Company. Officer James Deen said, "I'm arresting you for
cable theft". I asked him "Don't you have a search warrant" and he replied "I don't need one
as this is an ongoing conspiracy". Officer Dean said that if I didn't cooperate with him, I would
be charged with 11 felony counts of cable theft. I asked him what that meant, and he said, I
would have to come up with $11,000 bond. "Do you want to talk to me now?" he asked. I told
him that I would answer his questions. He never read me my Maranda Rights.
I asked him where this alleged cable theft took place. He took me down to the RV section of my
camp and showed me a "Pod" in the ground. It was a separate cable connection from the one
attached to my house. The "pods" in the RV section had been installed by Warner Cable
Company approximately 2 years prior to this time, while I was out of town, and without my
permission. This system had never been connected or used.
The only RV that was in the park at the time, (besides the two that were mine), was owned by a
woman that was very angry because I was having her evicted by court order. Her RV was
located next to the pod that he pointed out to me. She had placed a call to the cable company,
and lied, and told them that I had disconnected her cable. Cable had never been provided to
any RV at anytime.
I told Officer Dean that cable in the RV section had never been connected. He pointed to my
RV's, and said "There is cable in those two old RV's". I informed him that those were for
homeless vets and my manager, and that they ran off the FREE cable from my house.
He told me that I had too many stories, cuffed me again, and took me back to the house. He
tried to make me admit that I had been stealing cable again. He repeated himself at least 3
times, and kept saying that if I admitted it, he would work something out with the cable
company. He assured me that the charge would only be a misdemeanor.if I confessed. I said
that I would not confess to stealing cable. Officer Stenic did not speak anytime throughout the
questioning. I was arrested, and taken to Polk County Jail. I was charged with 4 felony counts
of cable theft. The treatment that I received until I was released was very inhuman. Animals are
treated better then human beings in the Polk County Jail. But, that's another story. I bonded
out the next day. UPDATE: I spoke with the Head of Internal Affairs and they informed
me that Officer Deen no longer works for the Police Department. He left about five
months before my trial date. I was also informed that he would not be eligible for
rehire. SUSPICIOUS????????
Officer Stenic was the only Officer listed as a witness, I was shocked!!! Officer Deen's name was
not on the list. In his deposition, Officer Stenic said he spoke with the defendant and after only five
minutes of questioning, the defendant admitted his guilt. Soon, I realized perjury was involved
because I did not admit guilt to any of the charges, and Officer Deen was the investigating officer not
Officer Stenic.
- Then I hired a Criminal attorney , Allen Smith of Winter Haven, who said all he had to do was
file a motion to dismiss because the cable company could not charge me as if I were a
commercial business.
I told my attorney he needed to subpoena Officer Deen, the lady from my park that had made
the complaint, and the service records of the pole at my house, where all the connections for
my park were made.
The cable pole by my house services my park, as well as an adjoining RV Park, and about 3
houses in the vicinity. I had met the service technician on numerous occasions. Whenever the
cable in the area was down, he would knock on my door and ask me if my cable was on.
(That's why the service records for the pole were needed, so it would prove that I had always
had continuous cable to my house.
All the cabins were pre-wired, however, they all had the red safety caps still intact, just like they
were when I purchased the park.
Bright house Cable Company submitted a bill, for restitution in the amount of $12,000 to be
paid upon conviction.
I spoke with a civil attorney in Miami who also informed me to tell my attorney to subpoena
and deposition all parties, directly, and indirectly, involved in the case. I would need this
information for my future civil suit against BrighthouseI. I instructed my lawyer on two separate
occasions to have all this done before trial. He said, "Don't worry! I'll take care of everything!"
Twelve months passed before the trial.
One week before we went to court, my attorney contacted me and said that if I would agree to
pay Bright house $100, and release them from all future civil actions, that they would drop all
the charges. I told him "No, that it would be admitting that I was guilty, and I WASN'T!"
When the trial opened, the Judge asked my lawyer how many witnesses he had for the
defense. He answered, "NONE."
I asked him if he had subpoenaed Officer Deen, or any of the others involved in the case, or
the service records. He said; "NO" and gave me no explanation.
The state presented its case and Bright house claimed that there had never been any FREE
cable or any other type of service connected on my property at all.
My attorney asked, "Could the computer have made a mistake"?
Only Officer Steinc was put on the stand. He claimed that I was only questioned a total of 5
minutes during the initial interrogation. He said that I had admitted stealing the
cable, and that I was jailed immediately after admitting to the theft. My attorney never
attempted to have Officer Deen questioned. He was not in the courtroom.
I told my attorney that I wanted to take the stand and tell the whole story. After I took the stand
my attorney asked me; "Did I own the park? For how long? Did I know anything about the
cable? I denied any wrong doing. Then he dismissed me. That was the extent of my
defense! He never even asked me if I had admitted my guilt to the officers!
The jury was out 30 minutes and found me guilty. We went in front of the judge. The Judge
claimed that he normally gave jail time for felonies. The States Attorney said that they didn't
want me given any jail time. My attorney didn't say a word. The judge said, "I guess you would
like a pre-sentence investigation." My attorney replied, "It's not going to make any difference.
Go ahead and sentence him now." I was sentenced to 3 years probation and restitution in
the amount of $12,000. I've never been convicted of anything in my life!!!
When we were leaving the courthouse, my lawyer referred me to an appeals attorney who was
a friend of his. He said his friend would only charge me $5,000.00 to appeal the case. He said I
could win in appellate court. However, he failed to mention to me that I only had 10 days to find
a new attorney and file an appeal. Fortunately, I filed on the 8th day.
I was released on probation, and ordered to report to the probation office on the 1st Wed. of
each month. During my first appointment, I took a drug test, signed papers, and was informed
that I could no longer own any weapons. I asked if there was any thing else that I needed to
know about felony probation. I was told only that I had to have permission to leave Polk
County, even to go to work in Miami.
Two days after my second visit to the probation office, two sheriffs and three probation officers
showed up at my house. My probation officer (India Snell) said she had received an
anonymous call that there were contraband in the house. On her first visit to my house I told
her that one of the bedrooms in my house was used as an office, with a Miami phone line, a
Polk county phone line, and a Fax line. It was used by veterans to fill out forms requesting
benefits from the State VA system and the Government VA system. I used the other bedroom
to sleep in on the week-ends. There are no locks on the bedroom, office, or the side entrance.
That left access to the house to anyone, at anytime. It's been set up like that from the time that
I purchased the property. She said that was OK.
Occasionally over the years, things had not worked out, and I've had to ask a Vet to leave.
Most Veterans that come to the park are fresh out of jail, homeless or both.
It dawned on me that it would have been very easy for a disgruntled patron or Vet to plant
something illegal in my house. I was beginning to think that someone had set me up.
I asked my probation officer if the person that had made the call, had also planted something
in the office or house while I was not in residence, would I be arrested for it? She said "Yes,
you will be arrested if we find anything illegal."
I asked her if I could call my attorney and have him present while the search was being done. I
was told "NO." I told them that I was afraid to allow them to search the house.
I was advised that I was in violation of probation for forbidding the search. I was cuffed and
taken to jail. I was in the Polk County jail for 40 days, until my court date on Oct. 28th, 2005.
That old saying that "Good guys finish last" must be true.
The cost of this nightmare so far is;
Loss of my weapons permit of 14 years, along with all my civil rights.
FL Real Estate License of over 20 years.
Privacy: I can be searched at home, in my car or anywhere I'm at.
Bond: $ 400.00
Lawyer: $3,500.00
Appeal $7,000.00
Brighthouse: $12,000.00
Court Cost: $400.00
Lost Wages: 40 days/ 15,000.00
Miami Safe & Vault Movers Company
FREEDOM - PRICELESS
The effects of this will force me to close the park because of my responsibilities to probation. I
can't take the risk of going to prison for 3 years because a homeless Vet may leave a
marijuana cigarette lying around, or any other circumstances.
If I have ANY altercations or contact with law enforcement, I'll be subject to violation of
probation and returned to jail for another 40 days until I see a judge. I could be sent to prison
for a minor infraction.
I am also being forced to shut down Miami Safe & Vault Movers Company (which took me 21
years to build), because no-one will want to hire a felon, convicted of cable theft, to install a
safe. My probation officer calls all prospective customers to inform them that I have been
convicted of a felony. I have delivered safes throughout the US & Mexico at $1,000 per day
port to port.
I never dreamed I would lose the park (which I intended to use to help homeless Vets and other
unfortunates) over something as trivial as cable.
When I was in jail, the emotional and mental stress caused me to have a stroke. I lay on the
bunk for hours, unable to move or speak. Another inmate finally noticed that something was
wrong and called the guards. I was hospitalized for several days.
I was very weak when they sent me back to the jail, however, I have regained the ability to
speak and walk. My family was never contacted by anyone from the jail One nurse let me make
a call to my family, but she was breaking the rules to let me do so.
After I was sentenced and released on probation, I called the FBI in Lakeland and asked them
to investigate this situation. I REALLY believe that I am a victim of a scam or a conspiracy of
some sort. They said that they had so many white collar crimes going on that they were too
busy to check out my concerns.
I contacted several newspapers in Polk County asking them to publish my story but I guess no
one considered a veteran's human and civil rights violation newsworthy. I guess Cable
Companies spend a lot of money advertising in the newspapers.
If there is anyone that can help me by contacting Governor Bush, or, someone in the Federal
Government, I would greatly appreciate it. Not just for myself, but there are other cases like
mine that seem to be clogging the judicial system in Polk County.
Other stories of unfairness, abuse, and miscarriage of justice in this Polk County judicial
system will be posted on my web site. You can contact me at www.lostvets.com.
God Bless
Frank Wezyk
Planning a trip to Polk County - Beware!!
ARRIVE ON VACATION
LEAVE ON PROBATION!!!!
After Hurricane Charley, August 13, 2006, I contacted the National Commander of the Purple Heart
Association and 39 of its officers informing them they could send ten men to rebuild my park and
then I could house twenty- seven veterans and their families. They could stay as long as necessary
and I would accept whatever FEMA paid so there would be no expense for the displaced families. I
had only one response and he was not interested. So much for Veteran's Organizations!!
So, not to get discouraged or give up, after Hurricane Katrina I went to the largest Baptist and
Protestant churches in Winter Haven, FL. I asked them to contact their National Headquarters and
inform them my resort was available for displaced families and they would be permitted to run it as a
religious park. I would cancel all my seasonal reservations and accept only FEMA payments. I
received no response from either church.
www.jjoss5@att.net
Update: April 2006
I now have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder because of my ordeal. Due to stress and my inability
to sleep, my Doctor wants to put me on Xanax. Coming to Polk County has been a nightmare. This
would never have happened in Miami.
I am putting my park on the market and when it sells I will be moving to a foreign country in
South America.
It is so easy for the lawyers, judges, and courts to convict an innocent man, but clearing his
name and reputation will cost a fortune, and will take a long time. I didn't mind spending up to
$50,000 a year for this vet's park, because it was money well spent. It is unjust that I am forced
to spend 10's of thousands of dollars to defend myself for a crime that I didn't commit.
My life will never be the same again. I can't believe that this could happen in the "LAND OF
THE FREE" Is this the same "America" that we Vets fought and died for? TO ANYONE THAT
IS GIVING THOUGHT TO ENLISTING IN THE MILITARY - THINK AGAIN. This Government
is not worth dying for. To anyone that has been a previous guest at our resort; you can find my
new location through "www.lostvets.com
This web page will be available to all Vets who are interested in posting their own stories of
injustice or wrong doing. I'm hoping to hear from you. I"ll be posting any new developments as
they happen. Thank you in advance for your support. I'm here for you.
Frank
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
MY NAME IS FRANK WEZYK AND I LIVE IN LAKE WALES,
FLORIDA. IN 1999 I PURCHASED A CLOSED, RUNDOWN
FISH CAMP. WITH HELP FROM HOMELESS VETERANS
WE REBUILT THE PARK AS AN ECOLOGICAL RESORT.
I AM CLOSING MY RESORT ON AUGUST 15, 2009 WITH
PLANS TO RELOCATE TO LEBANON, IRAN, VENEZUELA
OR CUBA.
I WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER MY SERVICE AND
EXPERTISE TO OPEN AN R&R PARK FOR CHILDREN WHO
HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ON-GOING WARS OR USE
MY SPECIALIZED CONSTRUCTION SKILLS TO HELP
REBUILD THE COUNTRY.
i am looking for any contacts that may help me expedite
these worthwhile endeavors. please call me at 863-
605-1331.
THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE YOU MAY PROVIDE.
SINCERELY,
FRANK WEZYK
863-605-1331
I was born in Miami, Florida USA
I volunteered for Military Service in 1965 and
served two tours in Vietnam receiving a Purple
heart for my injuries.
In 1969 I started a 4-year apprentice program and
became a Journeyman Ironworker, working out of
Ironworkers Local 272 in Miami, Florida.
I earned my Realtor's License in 1974.
I worked for Mosler Safe Company eight years
and became a Senior Installation supervisor
specializing in Bank vault installations.
In 1988 I started my own company, Miami Safe 7
Vault Mover's Inc. installing safes around the
United States and mexico. This company is still
active after 20 years of operation.
During these years I also formed 2 Vets Company
and customized old homes around the Miami beach
area.
I purchased an old run down fish camp in 1999
and with the help from veterans we turned the
camp into an Ecological Park for all homeless
veterans to enjoy.
August of 2009 I sold the park and now I would
like to relocate to Venezuela or Panama. I am
open to any other options.
Please visit my web site for updates.
www.lostvets.com
Yo naci' en Miami, Florida, USA
Yo fui' como voluntario eje'rcito de los. estados
unidos en 1965. servi en batalla en dos
diferentes ocaciones y, recibi' la medalla del
corazon morado por las injurias que recibi'.
En el ano 1969 yo empece' un entrenamiento
para ser un trabajador especializado en trabajar
con hierro. Yo trabaje' en el Ironworkers Local
272 en la ciudad de Miami, en LaFlorida, USA.
Yo recibi' mi licencia de autorizacion para
vender casas y propiedades en 1974.
En el ano 1988, yo empece mi propia
compania. La compania Miami Safe & Vault
Mover's Inc. yo instalaba caja de seguridad en
los estados unidos y en Mexico.
Durante esos anos yo tambien forme' dos
companias para ayudar a los veteranos de
guerra en los estados unidos.
Yo tambien renove muchas casas antiguas en
la vecinidad de la civdad de Miami Beach, in
Miami.
En el ano 1999 yo compre un campo de
pescadores y con la ayuda de otros veteranos
de guerra, nosotros convertimos el campo, en
un campo "ecologico" para todos los veteranos
de guerra que estaban sin un lugar donde vivir.
En agosto del ano 2009, yo vendi el campo y
ahora me gustaria ir avivir en Venezuela o' in
Panama yo considerare today las ofertas.
Por favor, visite el web site mio para mas
detalles
www.lostvets.com
MY 1968 CORVETTE
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