Hillsborough veterans receive second chance through outreach court program
TAMPA, Fla. - Frank Colón served in the US Army decades ago, but trouble followed him home. There was substance abuse, PTSD and later a petty theft charge.
He lost his way and his license.
"I was caught shoplifting at Walmart," he explained to a Tampa judge.
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But the military veteran signed up for the Hillsborough County Veterans Outreach Court held in James A. Haley Veterans Hospital's annex in Tampa. It’s a program aimed at helping veterans get back on track and resolve court fees and fines that may be holding them back.
The charges are often waived or dismissed entirely.
"A license is like life or death," Colón said. "You can take care of your family by working go to the store or if there’s an emergency in the middle of the night a license is everything."
Tampa Judge Michael Williams took care of Colón’s legal issues, but he wanted some reassurances.
"Do me a favor, no more petty theft stuff and keep going to your AA meetings and PTSD treatment," ordered Williams.
Colón was more than happy to oblige.
In the next courtroom, Tampa Judge Kimberly Brennan was helping a former Marine handle his traffic fine.
"You definitely want your driver's license back, we’ll make sure you get that," said Brennan.
The outreach program has been going strong for seven years. It was a vision of Tampa Judge Darryl Manning and each year more and more services are available to veterans within the county.
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"It’s a new lease on life. It’s an opportunity to go out there conquer the world," said Manning.
A dose of legal gratitude goes a long way for veterans who sacrificed so much, he explained. More than 200 local veterans have taken advantage of the program since it began, and that number continues to grow each year.