“NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD”
by Todd Sweet, ©2012
(Jan. 22, 2012) — Editor’s Note: The Post & Email had published an initial letter received from Tennessee State Penitentiary inmate Todd Sweet which described his perceptions of life in Monroe County, TN, including his time in the county jail, where he met Walter Francis Fitzpatrick, III. Fitzpatrick is currently incarcerated there in solitary confinement following his rearrest on December 7, 2011.
In a personal letter to Fitzpatrick in the possession of The Post & Email, Sweet described having met Fitzpatrick as life-changing and that it “strengthened my will and my determination to do right.”
Fitzpatrick’s conflicts in Monroe County arose after he discovered that the Monroe County Grand Jury foreman, Gary Pettway, had been serving in that capacity for at least 20 years, although Pettway had actually stated that it was 27 years or more. It was later proven that Pettway had never been formally appointed or sworn in. At least one other member of the grand jury which indicted Fitzpatrick following a citizen’s arrest appears to have served on a jury during the term directly preceding the term in which indictments were issued against Fitzpatrick, which violates Tennessee state law, or TCA, 22-2-314.
Fitzpatrick has therefore claimed that the grand juries are “rigged.”
Sweet admits to having acquired the reputation of a “con man.” He was indicted by the Monroe County grand jury in April 2008 for forging checks, using a false identity, and committing “criminal simulation.”
Sweet was convicted and sentenced to serve two consecutive sentences, the second of which was for stealing a car “valued over $10,000.” The trial court had perceived Sweet as having demonstrated “total arrogance and disdain for everything that has to do with our judicial system” (p. 38). He was found guilty of crimes in Tennessee, Michigan and Arizona, which he has detailed in a subsequent letter.
The Post & Email does not condone criminal behavior of any kind and believes that perpetrators should pay for their crimes. Sweet’s letters are published here to demonstrate that criminals can make a decision to change their lives.
We have touched on corruption of Monroe County in my last postings, and of course we will continue as well as other officials and counties in the U.S.
But I feel like telling you a story about me and why I chose, what gave me the courage to choose, a new path with Christ Jesus.
As you may or may not be aware by now – I am known to have left a prison camp for personal reasons in 2007, then hit mainstream media which was only heightened by allegations that I conned the entire County of Monroe, hired cops and got the ex-wife of another cop pregnant – all while on the run.
One writer said that I was “argueably [sic] the best out of town con-man to ever razzle dazzle and tap dance his way through the Sweetwater Valley.”
So, before that, I should note that I had left my wife and children behind. A decision that hurt us all, but most importantly my children.
When I was captured in a massive SWAT takedown in Arizona I not so long thereafter received letters from my children. They were hurt. Upset and confused and rightfully so. Its [sic] not the first time I had left them. I had violated my parole twice before. Leaving them without a father.
But after reading their letters and the subsequent divorce papers filed by my wife of 18 years – I finally knew I hit bottom.
Where I was held in custody in Arizona was max security. One 30 minute period out per day to shower and use a phone. Well, I had no one to call for I had burned every bridge I had semi-standing. So the only thing left to do was shower. The shower is all stainless steel and dark. Private.
And a perfect place for a 35 years old man to ball his eyes out.
And feel guilt for the very first time in his life. Not just over my children or wife but over every life I had dishonored.
I went and asked Gods [sic] forgiveness. I had always been a “believing Christian” so I knew he was there…somewhere. This became a daily routine for me. Cry and ask for forgiveness.
I felt so alienated from God that I begun to not “believe.” I would try to pray at night only to not make it to Amen. My thoughts were spuratic [sic], my prayers were in vain.
Or so I thought.
This went on for the next 8 months. Then as I was approaching Christmas I decided to write a letter and send a card to one of my daughters for her birthday. I really didn’t [sic] expect a response but I had made up my mind to never miss saying Happy Birthday no matter if they wanted me to or not.
Then, to my surprise she responded. She responded in love and forgiveness. She also told me we could begin to heal our relationship but if I lied she was done.
God had answered a prayer. And not a small one. A huge one.
So I began “believing” once again. Not obeying but believing. At that time I didnt [sic] even know there was a difference.
So I did begin to focus on being truthful to my children but I would still lie. What I began to realize is that I’d lied so much it really was second nature. Over and over again I would catch myself.
Then one day at Bradly [sic] County Jail, while I was in the midths [sic] of my trials in Monroe (they moved me due to cops wanting me dead for exposing their theft of my legal mail as well as the Troy Green Murder Corruption) I decided I needed to write both my daughters a long heartfelt letter as well as their mother.
My problem in this is that although I wasnt [sic] under punishment, just a sheriff to sheriff housing favor. My commissary order would get “mis-placed.” No big deal except I was trying to get these important letters written and I ran out of ink over and over and over.
Other inmates would let me have their pens but had little ink left in them. So I grew more and more frustrated at the fact I couldnt [sic] finish my letters.
I had a Bible on my bed but at the time spent very little effort in reading it. I did recently however read the story that is covered in I Kings 17:8-16 about Elijah and the widow.
I was so frustrated and angry at my inability to finish my letters I finally grabbed my bible [sic] and hit my knees. I looked up to the ceiling, almost in anger and said,
“God, I believe your [sic] there. I have repented. You gave me my children back. Now all I need to do is keep the communication up. Im [sic] sitting here writing and you know Im [sic] having a hard time. But worse yet I’ve not seen you truly move mountains in my life.
Show me something please! I beg of you! Here is a deal for you. I will take every ounce of experience and knowledge I have. I will take my abilities to speak and write. I will take my physical abilities as well and I will dedicate myself as a true soldier. I wont [sic] be just a believer, I will be a doer of your word. All I need from you God is one simple little thing and I promise you I will forever be obedient.
No different than you supplied the widow and her son with flour and oil. I need you to supply the pen with ink. You didnt [sic] allow the flour or oil to run out until after the droubt [sic] ended…
I need this pen to keep writing until after I get a commissary order for new pens. Thats [sic] a week away.
Amen.
The first time I got to ‘Amen’ in well over a year.
And guess what? I wrote page after page after page with that pen. It ran out. There was no ink in its barrel, but it kept writing and writing – to my absolute astonishment. I even had my cell mate at the time witness this miracle. It wrote for 7 days past commissary – 2 weeks! And folks. I have kept my covenant with God. Its [sic] been rocky @ times and @ other times seemed almost impossible, but the more I held fast, the easier its [sic] gotten. The pen was just the start. God has continually shocked me. He has shown me things that were amazeing [sic]. The more I was obedient – the more He would show or teach me.
And as for my children? Though there is a slight hinderence [sic] blocking me at times with one, the other and I are absolutely full swing into a great Daddy-Daughter relationship. God is working on the road block with the other. I sit back now and think of the Amazeing [sic] Grace that God has poured out to me and I must shake my head in utter bewilderment.
Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control is [sic] all I feel now. I have let God take control of my heart and mind. I do heart & mind checks all through the day. I dont [sic] want to upset God when it is really so easy to please Him.
The best advice I can give is this: Try your very hardest to live like Jesus and His army have already mounted their white horses. They are on the way. Now.
Are you prepared?
Im [sic] not perfect but I now use all the strength and knowledge of my past criminal ventures to reign [sic] in and report the criminal and corrupt acts of lawyers. Judges. Officers. Polititians [sic]. The law makers and law enforcers. Not because Im [sic] bitter, But because it is my job to save as many souls as I can before its [sic] to [sic] late. So I work both sides of the fence. Literally, I love all men and women and care if they perish.
Those of you who dont [sic] agree with me or my thoughts – I dont [sic] care. Im [sic] being obedient. Are you?
Examine you [sic], not me. Decide where your soul is headed, not mine. You got enough to worry about.
And for those who make it their business to judge me and the allegations of the con game? Remember this.
A con takes nothing that is not freely given to him through the opposing parties [sic] greed, not his own. If you yourself are not greedy you can never be taken by a con-man.
The only exception to that is if you are manipulated into believing something or saying tax dollars to something by a corrupt public official. You dont [sic] need to be greedy to him because he gets you without you ever knowing it.
Protect yourself in the only real way to do it. Hit yours [sic] knees, pray 1 Kings 5:4 and ask God to move on the hearts of the corrupt. Lets [sic] win them back from satan [sic], Nothing is impossible with God. I promise you.
Amen.
Until next time….
Todd J. Sweet, © December 11, 2011
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Editor’s Note: Troy Green was murdered in 2006. The accused murderer, John Edward Dawson, while in jail was tricked into believing that two sheriff’s department detectives were defense attorneys attempting to assist him. An appeals court subsequently discarded Dawson’s guilty plea on three unrelated charges.