Soldier in battle to rid home of squatters, Florida sheriff’s office says it can’t do anything
Soldier Michael Sharkey was deployed to Afghanistan two years ago and asked a friend to watch over his house in New Port Richey, Florida. Sharkey never thought that he would have to fight a battle to save his home from ex-convict squatters.
As reported by WFLA News Channel 8, strangers broke into the home Sharkey shared with his wife Danielle, changed the locks, then moved in. The squatters, Julio Ortiz and his girlfriend Fatima Cardoso, then refused to leave. Ortiz claims that there was a verbal ‘contract’ made with Sharkey’s friend who was watching the home. Mr. Ortiz said the agreement was that he would live there rent-free while he renovated the house, then later a rental agreement would be worked out. However, Sharkey and Lisa Pettus, Sharkey’s friend, say there was no such agreement.
Pettus said she met Ortiz through a friend and the only agreement was that he would fix up the house while the Sharkeys were away. When Pettus drove by the house two months after the renovation was completed, she found the squatters living in the home.
"I want the people out. They're criminals living in my house," Michael Sharkey told WFLA. “I have never spoke to these people in my life.” Specialist Sharkey called the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office from Afghanistan to deal with the situation and his wife flew to Florida from Hawaii, where Sharkey is currently stationed. Ms. Sharkey went to the house and had a sheriff’s deputy with her but was unsuccessful in removing the two squatters. Instead, after Ortiz told the deputy that there was a verbal agreement, the deputy told Danielle that it was a civil matter and he could do nothing.