Anthony Zaksewicz, the Matanzas High School teacher arrested in early December on charges resulting from a long-running shoplifting scheme at Walmart, has been reinstated at Matanzas High School following a plea deal and pre-trial intervention program that, if abided by, may lead to the dropping of all charges in a year. Zaksewicz pleaded before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins on Wednesday.
Zaksewicz over half a year had used different methods to steal merchandise from Walmart, totaling over $3,000. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office initially charged him with three third-degree felony charges and 10 misdemeanors. When the State Attorney’s Office filed its charging information, it dropped all charges, replacing them with one count of grand theft, a third-degree felony.
Zaksewicz turned himself in at the county jail, was booked and released on $5,000 bond, and was placed on leave from his job teaching social studies at Matanzas. Days leater, with his attorney, Kurt Teifke, he agreed to a plea–he pleaded no contest to the grand theft charge–and to what is commonly referred to as a PTI.
Pre-trial intervention defers for a year prosecution on a felony charge–usually a first-time felony charge. It is similar to probation, with numerous restrictions and requirements. For example, Zaksewicz will be required to pay all court and investigative costs plus monthly costs of supervision. He will be required to get a mental health evaluation and follow its recommendations, if any. He will have to complete an anti-theft course. He will be forbidden from frequenting bars or any place that exclusively serves alcohol. He will be required to submit to random urinalyses. He will have to complete 50 hours of community service. He will need permission from his probation officer any time he seeks to leave the county.
He will also have to repay Walmart $3,178.61. The terms have not been specified, according to the current order filed with the court.
If he complies with all the provisions of his PTI, he may petition the court to have those restrictions ended at the six-month mark. On the other hand, if he violates the term of the contract within those 12 months, the prosecution of the initial felony charge resumes, with no credit provided for the probationary term. A third-degree felony charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, though first-0time offenders typically do not serve prison, but are placed on probation, and adjudication is withheld, sparing them the stigma of being branded a felon.
The difference with a PTI is that the forgiveness goes one crucial step further: 12 months from now, if Zaksewicz has abided by all the PTI’s conditions, the state will be required to drop the charge, essentially scrubbing Zaksewicz’s record in most ways. Meanwhile, the case is removed from the court’s active docket.
The case was investigated by Flagler County Sheriff’s detective Joe Costello and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Tara Libby. Teifke is the defense attorney in another Matanzas case that has drawn attention: that of Brendan Depa, the former student who assaulted a paraprofessional there last February, and who faces a sentencing hearing at the end of January in an open plea on a first degree felony charge.
Deirdre says
So glad Flagler County Schools hasn’t lost a great teacher, he screwed up but I’m glad he’s not losing his job over it.
Dennis C Rathsam says
Reinstated??????? Just what we need teaching High school….Steal from Walmart, and if you dont get caught woopty doo! If you do get caught cry like a baby & get your job back! BULLSHIT!
Stepheny Harrison says
What a fine example this teacher is setting for our future students. Steal, get a good lawyer and then have charges dropped or scrubbed from your record. Way to go justice system
Thomas Hutson says
Matanzas Teacher
I just read the article on Matanzas Teacher Anthony Zaksewicz and his Plea and Restitution Deal. There is something wrong going on in Flagler County, it is either in the water or some other force moving our thought process on what is “RIGHT or WRONG”. This man is a “TEACHER” of our children, he received a State Teaching Award, someone our children would look up to. Yet he devised plans to “STEAL’ over #3,000.00 in merchandise from Walmart for over a half a year. A FELONY! And is reinstated?
There are two issues here one deals with the criminal actions of Mr. Zaksewicz pleading guilty to a Felony. Then, the school issue dealing with his being fit to continue to TEACH children in the Flagler County School system or any school system for that matter.
Wake up! So, what if he pled to a PTI good for him, like the other recent incidents here in Flagler County this year, he deserves the same treatment. That PTI deals with the criminal end of this mess. What he does not “GET” is a free get out of jail card and still be able to keep his job. No matter what you think of this person and what he has done, he did it to himself. Wake up Flagler County School Board! Get this man out of our classrooms, he does not deserve to be there. What the hell kind of message are you sending? Remember the old saying “Thou shall not steal” Oh, only until you get caught and admit you stole. Then say Oh, I am sorry. You fire two teachers for teaching a non-curriculum assembly, yet retain an admitted thief, a felon! If this is allowed to stand, there is definitely something in the water or there are a lot of marbles floating around somewhere.
dumbest says
Ok, but they want to fire a 20 year employee school Lawyer for being a Lawyer.
This school board is unbelievable. You terminate this teach for not having the moral character to be a teacher.Fire his ass I don’t want him teaching in our schools.
One again I say the stupidest school board ever.
Oh yea. Google stupidest to see if it’s a real word used properly because you people are just that stupid!
Pogo says
@Mercy is a noun
And it is real.
Ric Flair says
What a travesty of justice. Hopefully people working at the school that do know the difference between right and wrong will steer clear of this restitution paying criminal. A warning to other employees at the school, “Lock your stuff up…Mr Sticky Fingers is back in da house”. How proud the Harry Moore award presenters must be of this fine upstanding citizen. The best thing this guy could have done for these kids as a “teacher” was to show how you lose your high paying job when you commit crimes. Instead he is teaching them how you can beat the system and keep going like nothing ever happened. Oh well, I guess there’s always karma we can hope for.
TR says
It’s been happening for decades with plea deals on a lot of crimes to be lowered to a lesser sentence. I have said this for just as long a period of time NO PLEA DEALS no matter what. Get the highest punishment for the crime committed no matter what the age is of the criminal. If the judges would follow this rule especially with the underage punks who commit crimes like an adult. The kids of today would maybe think twice about committing crimes.
Shark says
I wonder how much he has stolen from the school !!!!
Mothersworry says
Not often I agree with you but you are right on the money with this. I wasn’t aware a teacher could hold obtain certification with a Felony.
Don't Judge says
I do not know this man, dont know the whole story and 99% of the people comment on here can say they do as they most likely just read the news about what happened. Should he be reprimanded yes, has he made a mistake, yes, has he come forward and said that he did it and is guilty, yes, has he stated that he would make restitution for what he did, yes. Should he continue teaching, I dont know, that is something that most people here can’t make a comment on because you are not his supervisor, that is between him and the school board. Should he go to jail, no.. There are way too many others that have committed crimes way more heinous than stealing from Walmart, the single most criminal corporation out there. If you dont think so go watch some documentaries on their business practices and how they rip off small businesses to get their products cheap so they can make more profit.
Was it wrong, yes it was, but are you now going to condemn a man that made a mistake that admitted to the fact that he did and was willing to pay for it, for the rest of his life. Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Those that generally point the finger in anger are the ones with the most skeletons in their closet because they do not want to be the ones put on trial.
This guy is a teacher, maybe if he got paid better, he wouldn’t steal from Walmart. Maybe if you are a parent, you should advocate that the people teaching your children receive a better salary! I didnt hear that from the name sayers on here, I dint here anyone say, hey maybe we as the parents should all band together and start looking into what we can do to help ensure our childerns teachers are paid for putting up with all the BS they have to deal with, with our spoiled childeren that cause havoc in the classes room all day. Nope, you will be like oh my Johnny or Sally would never do that, but guess what they do… and before you get on your high horse, I am a parent and even though my kids try to behave correctly, when they are with their peers they all let loose and your teachers deal with that, every, single, school day. Before you start again, I was a teacher and I was married to a teacher and I still know lots of teachers.
So before you start throwing the rope up on the gallows ready to be judge, jury and executioner, maybe YOU should reflect on times where you made a mistake and did something you should have, whether caught or not, and instead of judging look at the big picture and think, yeah that was wrong and he admitted it maybe we should give him a chance to redeem himself. Because there are many times people that have been given second chances have come back and proven themselves ten fold, not only to society but to themselves.
Chip D says
Merciless is an adjective. And it’s also real.
Judge Yourself says
So to start off with you justify the actions of this thief by the business practices of a corporation. You then say this guy came forward and said he was guilty. Actually they had him on video engaging in his serial crime spree and he realized he was busted. Then you attack those that are disgusted with this guys actions. Perhaps many of those commenting are parents of children that attend Matanzas. Perhaps they arent pleased that this guy is teaching their children. As far as salary, I think you may be surprised at what this guy actually makes. Its public record. Look it up. For you to attempt to in some way make it seem ok to steal from a company speaks volumes on your mindset and moral standards. The honorable thing for this guy to do is resign and start his life over some other place where they arent aware of his thievery. That is unlikely though because he is surely not an honorable man.
Mothersworry says
Maybe if he got paid better he wouldn’t steal”??? Hell I don’t think I was ever paid “better” Did that give me the right to steal?? Let me answer that for you, NO! Because he was a teacher that is an excuse allowing him the privilege of returning to the classroom? His actions, compounded by the school board allowing him to return to the classroom cheapens the profession.
Concerned Citizen says
STOP USING THE WORD MISTAKE!!
A mistake is making a wrong turn. Plotting to commit felonies and getting caught is a poor choice. Big difference. We have every right to be critical. He’s in a position to influence our Children. And now our school system is setting double standards.
He’s still a felon until he completes PTI. Why they reinstated him. And an even bigger question. Why the state doesn’t suspend his certification is beyond me.
palmcoaster says
Does anyone ever heard of the Lord’s Word Redemption? This teacher has” a family and innocent children” to sustain and looks like is a good teacher. His children deserve their father Repentant and Redemption lets do not pay for jailing those that can be rehabilitated. I hope he has the funds for restitution to Walmart and also he appreciates the sincere good opportunity that society gives him this time and does not fail us again. May our God guide him back again in the trail and protect his children!
Wow says
Perhaps let him get a job somewhere else and if he stays clean reinstate his teaching license. There are consequences for our actions. “Mercy” does not mean no consequences.