Two ex-con squatters who took over a house in Port Richley in Florida got slightly more than they bargained for when the owner returned from serving overseas.
Soldiers sacrifice so much so the rest of us can live safely and soundly, going about our normal lives without much worrying regarding our safety.
The least we can do is ensure that when they return from active duty, they have homes to settle into, right?
Well, according to reports, Army Specialist Michael Sharkey came back to his home in New Port Richey, Florida, after serving two years in Hawaii, to find that squatters had taken over the place!
Sharkey was on active service in Hawaii when the couple, Julio Ortiz and Fatima Cardosa, started living at the house in New Port Richey, Florida.
When he confronted the criminals about their unlawful stay at his home, they told him that they were not leaving. And that they had changed the locks and everything.
“I work hard, long hours, and these people never had permission to live in my home,” the outraged serviceman told the station WFLA. “They should be thrown out.”
Sharkey called the authorities. And they told the veteran that there was nothing they could do to help him. He was up creek without a paddle, and the government he had worked for during the last two years left him high and dry. He needed help from someone, but no one seemed willing to help the veteran.
“They are criminals,” said Sharkey to WFLA. “I am serving my country, and they have more rights to my home than I do.”
The sheriff’s department said that the verbal agreement makes the matter a civil issue, meaning Sharkey would have had to file a formal eviction because the couple has established residency in the house.
“I don’t think I should have to pay hundreds of dollars and go through that aggravation,” Sharkey said. “I work hard, long hours, and these people never had permission to live in my home.”
However, Ortiz insisted they were not doing anything wrong, because they had a verbal agreement with a friend of Sharkey to fix up the home in exchange for living there.
Ortiz also claimed he was going to fix up the house and work things out with Sharkey to rent the house, which the homeowner denied, as he said he’s never seen or spoken with Ortiz.
In an update Wednesday night, WFLA reported that the couple was moving out of the house after the stories about the squatters hit the news and local veterans’ organizations stepped in.
Lauren Price, of Veterans Warriors, had told WFLA that she has heard from veterans around the world who want to help, and describes Ortiz as a criminal, not a squatter.
Meanwhile, she and another veterans group found an attorney to handle the eviction process for free, and veterans say they will keep a close watch on the home to make sure it is not vandalized.
If they hadn’t moved out, Sharkey’s supporters had planned to hold a motorcycle ride on Sunday to head to the house, the station reported.
Watch the video report below for more details:
Sources: OpposingViews, WFLA, DailyMail