Matthew Cox | Inside True Crime Podcast - Insane True Story of Betrayal, Corrupt Cops & Life In Prison | Raymond Hicks

Episode Date: September 3, 2023

Insane True Story of Betrayal, Corrupt Cops & Life In Prison | Raymond Hicks

I was a highly decorated officer. I've never been in trouble my entire life. This is my department coming at me because I spoke out against corruption within the agency. These guys were leaving with all kind of thousands of dollars. And I say, you know, you guys, you know better than the ones we just put in the peddewagon. You guys should be going to jail yourself. So when I get to the front of my yard, 60-some cops stormed me at gunpoint. The only way you can get a Gold Cross recipient is by risking your life to save another individual life.

I risked my life doing an armed carjacket. He says, Ray, I'm telling you, you're faced with natural life imprisonment. This is the Fairs. The Fairs got a 98.8% conviction rate. I told him, I say, God got a conviction rate of 0%. I'd rather go to prison for the rest of my life because I'm not going to admit to something that I did not do. I haven't done nothing wrong.

I've been fighting ever since I was six years of age, man. Every since I was six years old, I've been fighting. I try to put my fist to his brains. And he's going to tell me, I made sure, I said, I eat mace. When I tell you, these people literally try to destroy me, man, they put me in the hole for five months. How do you help your family, man? You know, your kids, I ask you, your daddy when you're coming home,

I sell them soon. Six months going by, a year going by, going in two years, you know? I keep telling them soon. I mean, I know, I know all that. Like, everything you're saying, I know. So I just try not to think about it. Hey, this is Matt Cox, and I am here with Raymond Hicks, and Raymond Hicks has a story. He is a former sheriff deputy.

Yes. What county? Broward County. He is a former Broward County Sheriff's deputy, and he's got an extremely interesting story about a cover-up and corruption, and we're going to get into it. And I appreciate you guys watching, so check out the video. Okay. So, I mean, we've been talking for a little bit. But, um, so, you know, basically I just like to like start like at the beginning, you know, where you grow up. Okay. You know, you talked about your mom. Yes. Um, where were you raised? I was born in Vero Beach. I was raised in a place called Gifford, Florida, as well as Fort Lauderdale. So every, every year I came down here just to be with my family in Fort Lauderdale. Okay. What about, uh, your dad? Was your dad around or? Yes. My father. he wasn't always in my life he walked away and maybe around about 12 years of age um but he's from a city called wellburn florida which i've never been there before and my mother she's actually

from mortuary georgia so i guess the two of them met and give for florida and um i guess that's where they got married at if i'm not mistaken all right brothers sisters yes i have one my my sister's deceased now she was 46 years of age. She passed away. And so it's just me, my mother and my brother. My brother is actually 54 years of age. Where did you, so did you, where'd you go to high school? I would the high school at Viro Beach High School. What about, I mean, did you play football? Yes, I played football. I was a standout athlete for the Vero Beach High School. I played football, basketball. I also ran track, you know, I shattered records, you know. I was one of Vero Beach Top Athletes.

So, I mean, how were, like, did you ever get in trouble in school? No, I never got in trouble in school, but I did have a lot of fights in school, you know, when it come down to, like, bullies, because my father, I felt like my dad was a bully, you know, when him and my mom always engaged into some type of form of verbal confrontation that led to a physical altercation, you know, sometimes stabbing and cutting. My mother was shot, you know, by my dad. He went to prison, did by eight years in prison. imprisonment. And so when I went to school, you know, if I saw a bully, I would, you know,

I would confront the bully, you know. And I always said, you know, you want to fight, fight with somebody that's going to give you a fight. You know, don't pick on somebody who's not going to fight. Fight someone that's going to fight you. So, wait, so your dad, your dad went to prison for stabbing your mom? No, my father went to prison for actually shooting one of his best friend for touching my mother leg. Okay. Yeah, apparently, just generally by the name of or not. That's what they call him. And from what I was informed is that he touched my mom's leg and my dad found out about it. So my father went to this place called Under the Tree. This is a place where all the adults get together. They play cards, dominoes, they drink and stuff like that.

So, of course, when my father saw him there, you know, my dad confronted him and asked him, hey, not, you know, I heard that you touched my wife's leg. And him or not, my dad was best of friend. He said, well, if I touched the leg, what are you going to do? So my mom, I'm a lot. So my father said well if you tell me that you touch a leg i'm gonna shoot you man so he said yes i touch a leg and and of course my dad pulled the from what i was informed a chrome 32 with a pearl handle and um he pointed the gun at his face and when he pulled the trigger you know i know from being in law enforcement he jerked the trigger which at that particular time the bullet went past him and he said you didn't hit me he said no i didn't get you that time but i get you this

time. So the second shot, I actually hit him in his neck area, and my father did eight years in prison for that. He didn't die, just attempted murder. Yeah. So did you ever visit him in prison? No, I never went to visit my father in prison. My mom did, but I didn't. Okay. So you graduated high school. You went to college? Yes, I went to college at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Missouri. And, of course, that's why I met my wife at back in 1984. And, of course, she actually left college to go into the Navy. You know, my freshman year, I was run up for the Ricky of the Year Award.

My sophomore year, I broke all the Russian records. Going into my junior year, I actually became an All-American. And she went into the Navy, and they gave her orders to go to Scotland. So my wife and I, we made the decision to try and conceive a child. And she came home on leave for about two weeks back to Missouri where I was. And, of course, we worked on trying to conceive a child, and that's when she got pregnant. And apparently they stationed her to Pasigula, Mississippi. So when she went there, she was given order to go to Scotland.

So that's when I went to my coach, and I told him, I said, I'm going to leave school. He said, Ray, what do you mean you going to leave school? I was looking at me going in my sophomore year. as well as my junior year. You know, I scored every game. Every game that I played in out there in Missouri, I scored. And he said, man, listen, we need you here, you know. And of course, they called the Master Chief and some other people in the Navy.

And of course, they say, once we give you orders, you've got to proceed with the orders. And that's when she wound up in Pascollo, Mississippi. I left college. I went to Paso Altooga, Mississippi, where she was, we were, was rooming with her and some other friends of hers. So they was in, you know, they paid half of the rent. We paid half of the rent. I got a job working at the port of Pascaule, Mississippi, which is where the ship

was stationed at, you know, and I made a decision, you know, to come back to South Florida. So my wife, I actually got a car, which was a Chavet. It was a Red Chavet, I think it was in 1984, if I'm not mistaken. I got the car and I drove back here to Florida to Fort Lauderdale and then I got a job working as a construction worker and that's when I decided to apply for the Barrierf Office because I was majoring in criminal justice. So 1117, 1986 is when I got hired with the Barrierf office

as a detention officer. Okay. All right. So you didn't graduate? No, I didn't graduate. at that particular time, but I did, eventually, I went back to school after all these things that we're going to talk about. Right. You know, and I got my bachelor's degree in criminal justice and forensic science from American Inter-Country University in 2011. Okay, so I'm sorry,

so you start, you start off as working in the jail. Is that it? Right. Yes. That's where they start off almost everybody, though, right? Well, you know, a lot of people don't really want to work in the jails, you know, because number one, a lot of people's afraid to work in the jail. Um, But, you know, me growing up the way I grew up, you know, my thing was to try and inspire other people to say, hey, I meet it out the hood, so can you. Right. You know, as a matter of fact, one of the guys that I've known for many, many years, had a shootout with one of Scott Israel, who was just a regular patrolman for the city of Fort Lauderdale. This is before he became sheriff for Broward County. You know, we call him G. Fresh, but his name was G.

And, of course, Scott had a shootout. G was selling drugs and of course I got on him I'm like gee every time you turn around you know the recidivism rate is constantly growing man you can in and out the system man when you're going to change your life you know you need to do something that's positive man

and you know I told him I said look at me you know I came from where you came from but I made it he was like yeah you was one of the good ones I said but so can you man what about your family but anyway make a long story short after going to prison about two or three years you know what three times he went to prison, you know, he made a decision that he came home, got a construction job,

and he became a foreman, and then he became a superintendent, and his kids actually worked out with the Miami Dolphins, Jonathan Aiken's. His other son worked out with Jacksonville Jaguars. His name is Marquise Aiken. So, you know, people can change, man, you know, and that was my whole thing. You know, I didn't want to become a product of my environment, but I want my environment to become a product of who I am. So that's one of the reason why I want to. to go and work in the jail to really inspire people to say, man, change your life around. Well, how long were you, how long did you work in the jail? I worked in the jail from 1986 up until 1994.

Wow. I actually started working boot camp. They sent me to a special training of Fort McCullum drill sergeant school. I became a drill instructor for the barred sheriff office, you know, with young kids from age 15 to 35 years of age. they would send us to boot camp a resume training at the completion of the training. You know, they can get probation or release, you know, by the judge instead of going to prison. So they had to go through a 90-days resume training.

That's if they passed the class. And in 1996, I decided to go through the Crossover Academy, which was from correction to low enforcement at Palm Beach Community College in West Palm Beach. Did they ask you to go from the jail to be a part of that program? or is that something that you wanted to do? Well, they asked me to be a part of the program, the boot camp program, and certain people, they chose to go up to Fort McCollum drill sergeant school

and you have to be certified in order for you to work in the capacity as a drill instructor. Okay. So, of course, I went up there, you know, it was really hard, man. It was very intense. Those drill sergeants, they don't give you anything.

If you get it, you're going to earn it. Right. You know, and they tell you, and a lot of people fell, you know. but I was one of the ones that passed but it was extremely hard though so you went through that and then you became

then you went to the you moved you went to the sheriff's office no I was already at the sheriff's office I'm not to try you I mean I know it's all a part of the jail the whole thing is all part of that I'm sorry yes it's all part of the jail like once you come from jail they had a boot camp program where they sent us these inmates

yeah to go through a resident training they keep them from going to prison So they feel like, you know, this is their last chance, you know, before we send you to prison. So from 15 years of age to 35, the judge could order them to go to boot camp. And upon successfully completing the boot camp program, then they will actually let that person out, you know, back out on the streets. It's almost like a second chance in a sense. Right. And then, but you only did that for so long.

I did that up until 1996. And that's when I went through the Crossover Academy and Palm Beach. So I was actually a drill instructor, but I was going to school at night in Palm Beach. They go from correction to law enforcement. See, I feel like you're saying law enforcement. So you mean as what? As a, other than the jail, what were you like a regular cop or like a detective? No, just a regular deputy sheriff.

Yeah, so you can go from correction. It's called the Crossover Academy. So in order for you to work in the capacity as a deputy sheriff, sheriff out of the streets, you have to go through what you call Crossover Academy. So you go from correction to law enforcement. Okay. See, to me, correction, when you're saying law enforcement, I'm thinking a deputy in the, in the, I'm thinking that the, a prison guard is, is law enforcement.

But you're saying, no, that's not. No, no, there's just a regular correction. Yeah, that's just a regular detention officer or correction. Okay. You know. Yeah. And then you have to go through the Crossover Academy in order for you to become a deputy sheriff. Right.

And then you were, so what did you do as a deputy? Well, backing up for a second, I actually, in 1990, I was called out of the jail to work narcotics, you know, so since they were choosing certain individuals, you know, who has street level, you know, knowledge or whatnot, you know, you can use the street lingo, like, yo, my nigga, I got them pales, what's happening, you know, and that type of language or whatnot, you know. And, of course, they had me and several other guys, they brought out of the jail, and we would go out of me. we posed as undercover sellers. So we had informants that we were sent into a certain particular location. Once that informant go there, we give them the zip lock packages with the cocaine rock. There's a serial number on the package, and also the money was always marked. So we would send that informant into the location, and that informant would make the transaction with the dealer, and would come back and give us the intel in reference to who the person was they made

contact with what they were wearing and whatnot. And of course, we will move in, you know, backup will move in and take those guys into custody. And then we would get out there and pose as undercover sellers. Okay. Yeah, because it was like when Bobby was here, he worked undercover too. And I just, I think he didn't he say he worked undercover? Did Bobby ever work undercover? Um, I think Bobby did say he worked undercover for a short period of time, but I know he said he had informants that he used to go into like different areas or whatnot. I was just going to say it was a share I interviewed a sheriff the other day he had worked undercover right.

Do you remember the sheriff? He had worked undercover but it was the same thing. It's like, you know, he'd be like I'm not going to be able to you're never, I'm never going to I'm never going to, I'm always going to come off like a cop like, you know what I'm saying? Like you're going to look at me like anytime I tell somebody I was in prison, they're like, come on, man. Right. Look at you.

Right. Because you have the buzz cut. Yeah. They're like, you come on. Like I could, I don't think, I would joke around. I'd see you walk in, uh, in prison. I'd see the black guys and they'd go, hey, Cox, what's up? And I go, I go, stop, stop, stop.

Don't, don't, don't even try, bro. No, I did. I pulled that. I'll think of stop it. You sound more white than you already are when you try. And I don't know. So anyway, so yeah, I couldn't pull it off. But yeah, there's some guys that they could just, you know, because they can spot the, you know,

if you're on the street, you can, you can almost always spot them. Like, you got to know how to talk. Oh, yeah. Not only that, you know, if you're from the street, you know, you can really tell you, we, back in the days, they call them 50 and 99. Yeah. Yo, man, you know, my nigger, what's hiding? They go 99.

They go 99, 50. You know, that's the type of street lingo that they used back in the days to say, hey, there's the cops. You know, the cops are coming, you know, especially if they was out there selling drugs because when I came here to Fort Lauderdale, the park, which is called Franklin Park, it was notorious for illegal activity. Always constantly, you know, drug activity going on out there. You know, it was on a regular basis.

You got four or five, six guys running up the cars, you know. You got about four or five guys in one car trying to sell money, you know, to get the person to buy the rock. And, of course, a lot of times, you know, these people, man, how do I know this is because I was out there selling myself. Right. And he got to a point where I began to watch a lot of corruption goes on. on, you know, where they was planting drugs, they were bleeding young black offenders to the

ground, they was taking money from them. I told him that it was morally wrong, totally unethical, and I was not going to engage indulge in that practice. One of the location that we went to, they were selling the cocaine rocks for like $50 and $60 in this particular location. A rock cost $10. So at the end of the night, you're supposed to take all the drugs and the money, and you put in a manila folder and you put red tape on there and says evidence.

And, of course, and you put a, you know, a signature on there. So just in case someone trying to break that seal, you'll know that it's been tampered with. And these guys were leaving with all kind of thousands of dollars. And I say, you know, you know better than the ones we just put in the peddawagon. You guys should be going to jail yourself. They told me to mind my business. I said, what do you mean, mind my business? I said, you guys are just as guilty as the one that we just arrested not too long ago.

And this is when you were in the jail when they pulled you out? When they pulled me out. But also, I started working out there, and I think it was around about 1998 and 99, you know, when I was working with Drug Task Force, OCD, which is organized crime in the crater within a thousand feet of a school, three years in state penitentiary. And, of course, we was out there doing by buses, but we would sell drugs to, you know, the sellants. And we did a sweep first. We take all the drug dealers off the street. We put them in a peddle wagon. And, of course, we get out there, our commander come to us and give us X amount of rocks and money to make transaction with the subjects as they come to purchase the narcotics.

And what we used to do, we either tip our hat or we'll take the towel off our shoulder and that gives the indication to backup for them to move in and take the person in the custody. So when backup proceed to move in, we will run away like we had nothing to do with the situation, you know, because that's what most do was doing. Yeah, that's what they do, yeah. Yeah. In the 1990s, was a 20-something-year-old Los Angeles-based drug trafficker of ecstasy and ice. He and his associates drove luxury European supercars, lived in Beverly Hills penthouses, and dated Playboy models while dodging federal indictments. Then, two FBI officers with the organized crime drug enforcement task force entered the picture.

Dirty agents willing to fix cases and identify informants. Suddenly, two of Rossini's associates, confidential informants working with federal law enforcement, or murdered. Everyone pointed to Rossini. As his co-defendants prepared for trial, U.S. Attorney Robert Mueller sat down to debrief Rossini at Leavenworth Penitentiary, and another story emerged. A tale of FBI corruption and complicity in murder. you see pierracini knew something that no one else knew the truth and robert miller and the federal government have been covering it up to this very day devil exposed a twisted tale of drug trafficking

corruption and murder in the city of angels available on amazon and audible and so okay so you're telling these guys hey you guys are pulling you know you're you're basically you're pocketing money Like, you guys are pulling, you know, the other officers are putting money in their own pocket. Yes. Right? Yes. They're telling you mind your own business. Yes.

Even though, like, you know, me just having been in the system, seeing the way things work, to me, it's like, oh, no, like, if I'm here, you're including me in the conspiracy. Like, if I'm just here knowing about it. Right. Like, so it is my business, you know? Exactly. And that's one of the reason. I told my solicit, man, I don't get on like that, man. You guys are wrong.

You know, this morally wrong and totally unethical what you guys doing. They told me mind my business What do you mean mind my business I said you guys are no different than the ones We just arrested and put it in the pedig wagon You guys should be going downtown yourself And at this point you know It came to you know

They didn't like me being out there They was like hey you can't work out here anymore I said I don't give a flying you know what And we're going to put you back in the jail I said I started in the jail So they put me back in the jail I think I was working on the sixth floor And of course

I go home I went to work, and I worked from 73. When I came home, I think I went to bed around about maybe 3.3.30, it took a shower and went to bed. I normally wake up around about 5, 5.30 to go in my backyard and work out. I had over 600 some pounds in my backyard. And the process of me going to work out, I look across the street at the sit go, and there's either the drug task force or the SWAT team mounting up. So I told my neighbor who was working out with me, I said, man, that's either the drug task force or a SWAT team over there, you know, and when they saw me, they all jumped in the cars and spared down the back street.

So I told him, I said, let's go to the front of my yard, man. So when I get to the front of my yard, you know, 60-some cops stormed me at gunpoint, had me and my kids at gunpoint. My kids were 12 and 7 years of age during this time. My wife had gone to Win Dixie, you know, I guess to pick up some grocery. And I think it was my oldest daughter that called my wife and said, hey, mommy, you know, they got daddy here. And so I'm asking them question. I said, you know, what is this? What is this for?

You're Ray Hicks? I said, you guys know I'm Ray Hicks, man. What's the problem? We got one for your arrest. I said, want for who arrest? What did I do? And so this black guy named Ricky Clark, he come patting me at my shoulder, assuring me that everything was going to be okay. So I'm like, what, he's like, Ray, calm down.

I said, man, Rick, what do you mean? Calm down, Ricky? I said, what the freak you mean? Ricky, calm down. I said, what did you? You guys got a warrant for my arrest for what? What did I do? Tell me what I did?

Well, we can't discuss it. What do you mean you can't discuss it right now? So then Rob Shaw from Internal Affairs, he says, Ray, we're going to place short suspension pending the outcome of this case. I'm like, what case? So he asked me, you know, if I had some. My wife, she was still at Win Dixie. They're going in my house, ripping up, you know, searching for drugs and stuff, money and all this other crazy crap, they said.

You know, I'm there handcuffed in my garage. So all of a sudden, my wife shows up. She's patented out of chest, like she's having heart palpitations, you know. The kids are screaming, you know, like what's going on? And so Rob Saar would say, Ray, we're going to suspend you pending the outcome of this case. I'm like, what case? And nobody would tell me. So there they're, I'm handcuffed.

And, of course, as they handcuffed me, the guy Bernard Brown, the tape that I played for you guys, you know, that it was him who arrested me and put me on a cruiser and took me down to District 5. So when I get to District 5, I'm still asking questions. Why am I here? What are you guys arrested me for? And then it was like, well, Ray, we can't discuss. I said, what do you mean you guys can't discuss it? They at least tell you why you've been arrested. Right.

But they wouldn't tell me not. nothing. So then they later transported me over to the city jail. So I get to the city jail and I'm still asking a question. Why am I here? So they placed me in solitary confinement. So the very next day the marshal shows up. I'm like, whoa, what the freak is the marshes doing here? This is serious. So of course, the marshal said, well, we're here to take you to court. I'll say, take me to court for what? I said, well, you guys, nobody's telling me what I'm here for, because if they told me what they would come to get me for, they probably would have killed me that day because I've never been in trouble in my entire life. I've never tried

a marijuana cigarette in my entire life. I never took a drink a day in my entire life until after this whole entire incident. And they're, they handcuffed me and shikers, put me in an unmarked cruiser and take me over to federal court. So when I get to federal court, my mom and my wife sitting in the audience. So the DA says, when Mr. Hicks is at work, he's in the top 10% of his department. But when he's not at work, he's into other curricular activity. When you look in this book, I'm Toddler, I'm still standing.

You're going to see I brought the documents that showed that I was a gold cross recipient. I was a civil cross recipient. I was two-time deputy of the month. Never been in trouble in my entire life. And she said, when he's at work, he's in the top 10% of the department. When he's not at work, he's into other curricular activity.

He went to various states to live in 350 kilograms of cocaine that was equivalent to $750 million. You had no idea this was coming. This is just complete, you're just like, you didn't know there was an investigation and they're just, and she says that. No, I went to work that day. Came home, went to work out, and I see them mounting up across the street.

Right. And I'm like, you know, telling my name. were like, that must be the drug task force or the SWAT team. What do you are you thinking this, this is like, are you thinking at this point I'm being set up or are you thinking this is a mistake? No, I'm thinking that

this has to be a mistake. I said, and then the judge says to me, well, you're not a flight risk because I didn't have a passport at the time. She said, but you are menaced to society. Whoa. Just based on

I'm a minister to society. How do you go from being a highly decorated officer to a minister society? The only way you can get a Gold Cross recipient is by risking your life to save another individual life. I risked my life doing an armed car jacket where I one round went through the roof of the car.

this guy I thought it was an armed robbery this young kid I didn't even know what was going on I happened to be coming down driving down the street there's a taxi that's at the red light and when the taxi pulled up to the red light when the light turned green the taxi merges into the fence so I see these two black guys fighting

so I said let me just stop and break up the fight so in the process of breaking up the fight I discovered that they wrestled over 357 Magnum One round went through the roof of the car. The subject took a chunk out of the victim's eye. But I took the gun from him. And the subject took off running. So I got on my phone and car communication advisor, a signal 041 that just transpired.

And I set up a perimeter. They later arrested this 18-year-old. Come to find out, he got in the taxi cab off a 6th drunk. And the taxi took him off of 21st Avenue in Oakland Park to an apartment. According to the report that I read, he went upstairs and retrieved the gun, came back downstairs and told the taxi cab driver to get in the passenger seat. And he got in the driver's seat. So as I'm coming down the street, the taxi cab driver saw a chance that the grab the stern wheel, and that's when the vehicle merged into the fence. And I happen to be coming down the street at the same time.

I get the gold course award, the highest award that anyone could ever receive. without getting killed in line of duty. Now you're a menace to society. The very next year, I'm a minister's society. I'm faced with net life for imprisonment without possible parole for drug trafficking charges. So what do you say to your lawyer? What's happening?

What do you ask your lawyer? What's going on? Well, they gave me a court appointed attorney. Right. And, of course, the judge, she sentenced me, she gave me no bonhole, wouldn't even give me a bond. She gave me a no bond hole They put me at the federal detention center in Miami

And when I arrived there They treat me like I was The Noah's scum on the faith of this earth There's a certain way that you strip search an inmate But the way that they call himself handling me Was inhumane And I told them and I told them about it And next thing you know

They went to got me put me on an orange jumper And took me up and put me in the hole I stayed in the hole for five months So what is your, I mean, when did you meet with your, the public defender? He came a few days after, you know, and he says, Ray, I was appointed, his name was Marty Fakingbaum. He said, I was appointed by the court to come and represent you. I said, okay, sir, and we sat down, we talked like you and I are speaking right now. Right.

And he asked me, I said, first of all, why am I here? I said, these people said that I was trafficking cocaine. I said, that's a lie. I got documents in here to show you that I'm at work. I said, first of all, how could I be traveling to these various states and live in 350 kilograms of cocaine? My wife worked that night at the postal service. I was there with my two daughters. I said, and furthermore, I'm at work.

When they said I was traveling to all these states, I'm at work. What's amazing to me, Matt, is the fact that DeBriar Sheriff Office has a fiduciary duty, internal affairs, that if a man and woman committed a crime, they have to call you the eye enough for questioning. They have to give you a garrie statement. At no time did they ever ask me, they never asked me if I was associated or affiliated with any type of wrongdoing, anything of that nature. They just showed up in my home. These are the same guys that Ixel went into my vehicle. my wife and I had bought a Mercedes and my brother was washing the car and as my brother was washing the car the same task force drug task force go in the car without a search warrant

searched the car and said how could I be for how could I afford this type of vehicle it was a Mercedes but the car had expensive embells on the back of it the car was a 1993 400 SEL but they had V-12, V-600 on the back of it. On the side it said V-12 and on the back and said S-600. So BSO, these officers that went in the car said, oh, he must have been selling drugs to own this type of automobile. Where is the camera in this car? So my brother said, man, you guys know who that is? That's my brother. He worked for the sheriff department. My identification was in the console of the car. These are the same people who showed up in my home and took me in the custody who arrested me.

But they're the ones that equipped, not me. And I told my attorney this, you know, I said, listen, you need to do your homework, man. I said, because I say, and furthermore, I'm not going to take something that I didn't do. He says, Ray, I'm telling you, you're faced with natural life imprisonment. This is the fares. The fairs got a 98.8% conviction rate. I told him, I said, God got a conviction rate of zero percent, and I'm not taking anything. I wouldn't even take time served.

I'm going to trial, man. And he told me, he said, Ray, he said, so he did his own investigation. And he said, Ray, on the manuscript, write down everything that happened. He said, because one day this could possibly be a bestseller book, maybe a movie. I took his advice. And I began to write. And then all of a sudden they gave me another court appointed attorney. Mr. Ruben Garcia, he come in and on the coercion, he says, Raymond, listen, you're faced with a lot of time, young man.

I said, I'm not faced with nothing. So I'm constantly getting to an argument with these guys because they're trying to force me to take a plea for something I have not done. I said, I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Mr. Faginbaum. I refuse to take anything. I won't even take time served. I'd rather go to prison for the rest of my life

because I'm not going to admit to something that I did not do. Have you got discovery by this point? Do you have any, have you seen any evidence that they have or is it just a police statement? No, they never gave me the discovery to two weeks prior to trial. what is the discovery and what does it say?

The discovery was saying something to the fact that the informant Ansel Pratt, the guy who I was just showing you guys earlier, he was arrested on 111 of 2000

for aggravated assault with the firearm where he chased this man down the street Mr. Eddie Frazier chased the man down the street because he went to collect his money

for dumping Ansel Pratt trash so next thing the Brow sheriff officer arrest him and that's the same guy they used as an informant, they paid him $20,000, $15,000 to come in and lie and testify against me to say that me and my co-defendants was actually into drug transaction, which

was a lie. We was all working out. The warehouse that we worked out in, there was professional athletes, there was police officers, there was people from the community, everybody worked out there. And this guy, this guy, Ansel Pratt, who was a compulsive liar. And as a matter of fact, he said on December 24th, 1999, him and his wife was at a red light. And he said, I pulled up next to them and point my finger out the window that I was going to shoot the two of them. So finally, my wife went through her thrift saving. She got an attorney by the name of Michael Bloom. Mr. Bloom was the federal attorney, never lost the case in 15 years.

And when he came to visit me, he said, Ray, you're not a drug dealer. He told my wife and my mother. He said, your husband and your son is not a drug dealer. I know a drug dealer when I see one. He's definitely not one of them. I'm going to do everything within my power to help him get home. And Mr. Bloom, subpoena Ansel Pratt's wife, her name was Ms. Shirley Pratt. She worked for the postal service.

She came in and he actually said, ma'am, on December 24 of your husband testified to the court and the jury that my client pointed his finger at the two of you at a red light and motioned that he was going to shoot you. She said, my husband is telling a lie. She said, my husband and I was not even together on December 24th, 1999. And she said, and furthermore, he's a compulsive liar. But I found out later that it was him and a detective who went in my car that went to the grand jury. Did they ever find any drugs, any evidence?

There was never no drugs. It's just, well, I mean, saying they could have planted drugs. It was all fabricated. So it's just one guy giving a statement and they get an indictment against you for selling whatever it is 300 kilos of cocaine or something. Yes. And as a matter of fact, this guy was a compulsive liar because he also said that he saw a duffer bag that was filled with cocaine and money. He said 350 kilograms of coke. You can't even get 350 kilograms of coke in a freaking bag.

with $750 million. That's the biggest lie they ever been told. And doing the court trial, you're going to read in this book right here, I'm still standing, where he said that there was a bag, when they played the tape for the jury and the judge, it was a vacuum cleaner.

It was one of those huge vacuum cleaner where you vacuuming your car and trucks and stuff. That's what it was, a vacuum cleaner. It was not even a duffer bag, as he said, were full with cocaine and money. He lied there. Then he lied and said I was giving confidential law enforcement information, this informant. F-C-I-C-C-I-C.

My attorney, he actually subpoenaed the communication operator. Her name is Catherine Munez. She came in and testified. She said, Mr. Hicks has not ran this information. And she went on to say, you have to take a 40-hour course. There's a certificate of completion from FDLE, and there's a sign-in sheet. and you have to use the social security number. She said, Mr. Hicks has not ran this information.

Right. So all your, your certificate, your everything would already be in the computer showing you pulled that report. Exactly. And it wasn't there. Exactly. Well, did you have, did you have, did you, was there any way for them to prove that you'd ever had communication with this guy? No. There was no communication.

None. So this is just some random guy that they got, that they said, hey, that, look, we're having an issue with this officer. you need to say this. Exactly. And then they get this on recording. They debriefed him. They debriefed him for him to say exactly what I'm conveying to you all right now. And then they get an indictment based on that information.

Yes. They get an indictment, you know, from the information that was given to the grand jury by the detective who arrested me, by the detective who Ix went in my car and searched my car without probable cause, Richard Passanchi and Joe Damiano. And I'm saying to myself, how is it? that these people can do this, man. You know, first of all, how do you defend yourself

when these guys are going to the grand jury? You don't get a chance to talk to the grand jury. Right. So they said I was dealing all these drugs and money when, in fact, it's the biggest lie they ever been told. I got record records. I went back and did a thorough investigation after all this stuff.

And as a matter of fact, how about this? They said I was on audio tape. The same tape that I played for you guys a day that I sent to this brother, Kobe, you know, it's the same person who arrested me. It's the same person that was on the tape giving the information they said I gave. It's in the book. And it's titled Missing Documents Turned Up in Deputy Lawsuit. They thought it was my voice on the wiretap. It was the deputy who arrested me.

All of them was promoted to a higher rank. All right. So at this point, so I was going to say, then they give you two attorneys that are basically trying to tell you take a deal. Well, they got off the case. Right. I understand. Now you got a new attorney. Yes.

He's saying, we're going to go to trial. So you're going to go to trial. What's happening? You said two weeks beforehand, you find this at all, you get the, the discovery. You realize, okay, they don't really, they've got basically one guy. Right. And so you're moving forward. You've obviously got multiple.

instances where you can prove that the informant is lying. You're going to go to, you're headed toward trial. Does the U.S. attorney, typically the U.S. attorney, if they don't think they can win or they think something's funky, they're going to try and come to you and try to get you to take some kind of deal. And that's what they did. What you just said is paramount. Okay.

Because they come to me and they tell before I, before I get Mr. Bloom to represent me, before my wife go through her Thrift saving, with the court of point attorney, Mr. Ruben Garcia, They offered me 16 and a half months. They say, Mr. Hickson, he come telling me, Ray, you've been down for 11 and a half months. They want to offer you 16 and a half months, but you want to testify against these other six people. I told him, I'm not testifying against nobody. If they did wrong, you go get them, but you're not going to use me.

I said, I worked out with these guys in the gym. We were seeing who was the strongest. I said, but the thing about it, I'm not going to go in there admit to something that I don't have no knowledge of. If they did something wrong, you go get them. But you're definitely not going to use me. You're not going there and lie on these people. Well, they can give you a 5K1. You know, you've been down for 11 and a half months.

You'll do three months and go home and you'll be with your wife and kids. And I told him, I said, let me tell you something. It got to a point that the officers in visitation had to come in because really I wanted to come across that table at him to let him know who the freak you think you're playing with, man. My wife and kids suffering right now. And you're trying to get me to take time for something that I didn't do? I told him, I said, I'm not told the first attorney. I'm going to tell you the same thing.

I'd rather take life imprisonment. So what I did, Matt, is I set him up. I set him up. I said, Mr. Garcia, I say, you know what? I begin to give him information that I knew about that happened at the Brow's Sheriff Office, such as a pyramid scheme where they had over 200 some officers affiliated with this pyramid scheme. It's punishable upon the five years in Florida State Prison and a $5,000.

fine. And I began to tell him about the corruption that I witnessed when I was out there working narcotics and everything else. But I did that because I knew he was going to go back and he were going to feed this information to the DA, which is what he did, the United States attorney. And, of course, he came back to me and pulled me out. And he says, Ray, I went to lunch with the district attorney and she said that you're not in here because of the corrupt. but you're in here because of your environment. And that's when I wrote a letter, a thorough letter that I got a typewriter, placed on the floor where I was in 7 West. And, of course, the letter says that, per our conversation, I never gave you authorization to go and discuss my information with the DA, which is protected upon an attorney-client privileges.

Why would you go discuss this information with her without my authorization? And that's when he made a decision, he said, you know what? Okay, I'm getting off this case. So finally my wife went through her thrift and she was able to, you know, to get the attorney to come and represent me. But if I may just back up for a second, Matt, you know, when I tell you, these people literally try to destroy me, man, they put me in the hole for five months. Total darkness. And the officer was jiggering at me every single day. You're that effing cop.

You're that crooked cop. I hope you're going for the rest of your life. I told him, I said, no, I was no cricket cop. I was a highly decorated officer. Yeah, but you tell it to the court. I said, I will tell it to the court. And it got to a point where I started pushing the emergency button in the unit. You know, there's a red button inside the unit for emergency purposes,

and I started pushing it repeatedly because at this point, I started doing like 1,500 push-ups every other day because I'm conditioned my body and my mind because I know that at some point, I'm going to have to go to war. And Mr. Fernandez, I know, forget him the longest day I live, he called me out, and he says, Ray, he says, you come here. And they handcuffed me and shackled me. They had me put my hand through the slot where they feed you. They handcuffed me.

Then they came in and shackled me and took me to his office. And when I got to his office, I said, I have 90s spoken to my kids and my wife. And he gave me a phone call. And after that phone call, you know, it was heart-wrenching, man. You know, they hear my wife and kids. And, you know, and he says, Ray, listen, the only other way you're going to be able to use the phone, man, you know, besides your attorney,

is you're going to have to go down to general population. I told him, I don't care where you put me. And, of course, they put me in GP. They put me in general population. I was down there with eight guys who I had arrested or I was over when I worked in the jail. and every last one of gave me the utmost respect they were like no man not you big hicks no man

and here come this black dude that saw my picture parade over the newscasts from day county you know talking about he hate effing cops you know and one of the guys that knew me Mario he said man you know who that is he said you know who that is man that's big hicks he said he comes from where we come from and all of a sudden

I goes in there to put down my bed row and as I'm putting down my bed row there he is there's 122 inmates in the unit and of course I go and put my bed row down there he is in the door

because they don't gather around the door I told him I say dude you got a problem with me I said come on in here we can handle this like men you're running your mouth you bumping your gums I said come on in here we can handle it's like man

so what he tried to do he tried to rush me and when he tried to rush me I literally tried to beat him to death I've been fighting ever since I was six years of age man ever since I was six years old I've been fighting

and anybody that know me from the streets to tell you man you know it's it's a shame it's a disgrace man it's a disgrace I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy

man what these people's put me through but I literally try to kill him Matt I try to put my feet through his brains. And all of a sudden, the officer ran there because there was only one officer in the unit. He ran up and everybody scattered, you know, and they finally moved this guy to 8 West, 9 West,

wherever. I don't know where he went. The only thing they got him from around me because I really wanted to finish him, to be honest with you. Because they had a, in the fares, we used to get sardines. And that lid is like a razor blade, you know what I mean?

Yeah. Yeah, and the jumper that we wore, the green jumper that we wore, you know, I kept me, I kept me a cap with me, be honest with you. Because I know at this point, you know, I'm in a situation. I mean, come on, man, you can't take an officer and put them in, I'm GP. That's a death threat, man. If a person don't know how to defend themselves, you, listen, you're done. But you know what's a strange, you know what strange is that even while I was there as an end, and you can see it in the book.

I won a life-saving award. The officer walked out the unit, had to go to the restroom. And all of a sudden, this black guy who was shot in his head a long time ago, he started having seizures and convulsion where he swallowed his tongue.

So the guy started calling me, big homie, big homie. Man, man, come. So I ran out on the rec yard, you know, and there he is. He swallowed his tongue. So the warden of the institution give me a life-saving award. So the same type of officer that I was out for the Brown Sheriff Office

is the same thing I'm displaying while I'm an inmate faced with natural life imprisonment without possible parole. Using forgeries and bogus identities, Matthew B. Cox, one of the most ingenious con men in history, built America's biggest banks out of millions. Despite numerous encounters with bank security, state, and federal authorities, Cox narrowly, and quite luckily, avoided capture for years. Eventually, he topped the U.S. Secret Service's most wanted list and led the U.S. Marshals, FBI, and Secret Service on a three-year chase, while jet-setting around the world with his attractive female accomplices. Cox has been declared one of the most prolific mortgage fraud con artists of all time

by CNBC's American Greed. Bloomberg Business Week called him the mortgage industry's worst nightmare, while Dateline NBC described Cox as a gifted forger and silver-tongued liar. Playboy magazine proclaimed his scam was real estate fraud, and he was the best. Shark in the housing pool is Cox's exhilarating first-person account of his stranger-than-fiction story. Available now on Amazon and Audible. Well, I was going to say, like, it'd be different.

Like putting an officer or an FBI agent or a DEA agent in a low-security prison where it's a protective custody is vastly different than you sticking them in general population, you're going to get killed. Like, you know, not that you're going to get killed, but, I mean, it's extreme. extremely dangerous because you do you have some of those guys that just they're they have no reason at all they hate cops or they're gang members and they've got a vendetta against cops or there's a group of them and they're against cops and they just hate them and there's no fucking there's nothing you can do about it they're going to come after you so when when he said general population i thought oh no got it put me a gp um so so did you and what ended up happening with so going back to the trial. So the judge asked the question, where the drugs? No drugs. Where the money? No money.

He said, so what do you mean? Why is this? You mean to tell me you have nothing to substantiate the charges? This was the chief judge, Judge Wrecker. Judge Wreck would give you a million years. His mustache was rolled up at the end, you know? This man didn't even play. I mean, he would give you a million years and thought nothing of it? And he said, you mean to tell me, you bring a highly decorated officer in my court room and you have nothing. to substantiate the charges? Why is he here? So they lied and said I was giving confidence to law enforcement information. They found out through testimony, Captain Muniz, she said, I worked in this capacity for 25 years. Mr. Hicks has not ran this information. It's controlled

through his social security number. Then they lied and said I was on audio tape. When they played the audio tape, they found out that it was the same person who arrested me. The same tape that I played for you guys, internal affairs called him down there. Did this happen all at the first hearing or this play out during a trial? No, this played out during trial. Okay. And, of course, the jury deliberated, they came back with the not guilty verdict within 30 minutes.

How long did you do in jail? 16 and a half months. Did they reinstate the chart? Do they try and go, you know, because, you know, well, it's not guilty. Okay, so no, it's not guilty. They're done. Yeah, we're done. There's nothing they can do.

No. Did you walk out right then? Yeah, the judge, the judge walked my, he, at, as, you know, as, you know, it's, As a matter of fact, he allowed my wife to bring me food from the outside, from Papa John to KFC, from Tom Jicken barbecue, and to me and the rest of my co-defendants. Okay, so it wasn't just you, it's the whole group. Yes.

Was there anything along, was it was basically all of the evidence geared towards you or them also? This is just your workout buddies. Yeah, these are guys that, these are guys that I worked out with. And they were trying to say that these guys, apparently BSO had an investigation going on with them, right? And they were trying to, because I spoke out. Yeah, because I spoke out against the corruption, they just took me and threw me in the pot to say that, you know, I'm a drug dealer. These guys were no drug dealers. These guys were actually delivering Coca-Cola with 18-wheeler truck from here to Jacksonville.

And I'm saying to myself, what did they get, they got all the information from this freaking, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this. This guy, Ansel Pratt, but one thing is for sure. You know, you can do things wrong to people. I don't care if it's me, my wife, my mother, my kids, or whoever. At some point, it's going to come back to you. The guy who arrested me, Bernard Brown, he was 50-something, about 54 years of age. He just died recently. For what reason?

I don't even know. Ansel Pratt, the one that they, informing who they call himself using, he had a massive stroke, had five master's stroke. couldn't even, he can feed himself, he can walk, he couldn't talk, he couldn't clean himself no nothing. He just died recently. The sergeant that I went to from Internal Affairs, who said he was going to conduct a thorough investigation because he said that he heard that from other people who had filed complaints against those officers that went in my car, where he recently passed away.

So, you know, one thing is for sure, it's my relationship with God. it's my relationship with God it's my family because if because if it wasn't we wouldn't be having this conversation man I'd rather for you to kill me than for you to put me through what you put me

and my wife and kids through I lost everything I lost my home my cars my finances I couldn't even feed my family and it got to a point that I started drinking. I never took a drink a day in my life.

I went to the hospital for anxiety and depression five times. And I'm saying to myself, how could these people do this to me, man? When I worked my way out of the hood, to have a house for me and my family, and I lose everything for what? I did nothing, absolutely nothing. But through it all, man. You know, the Word of God says, in Romans 12 and 17,

we pay no evil for evil. By doing so, God say, vengeance is mine. I'll repeat, said the Lord. He said, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he thirst to give him a drink. By doing so, God said, it's like taking hot colds and placing it on the top of their head. So to be honest with you, it's my...

My relationship with God, you know, and this is not tears of, this is tears of joy. Because it's a shame, man. It's the shame. I went wishing all my worst enemy, man. You know? I mean, they go from making almost $90-some thousand a year to zero overnight. and my wife and kids they had to stand in the line

the weather sometimes was unpleasant you know every Saturday my wife and kids stand in this line whether it's raining whether it's cold

you know she kept the kids doing cheerleading they were cheering and they had pins little ponytails you know when they walk through

the scanner the scanner goes off they embarrass my kids making them take out the ponytails and everything else patting them down and all of this other nonsense.

But this is system. And I'm saying to myself, but, you know, but I understand. You know, they have a job to do. And my wife come in and she says, Raymond, there was time that she didn't even have a couple dollars for me to get something out of the vending machine. I said, don't worry about it, you know.

But my question to you, man, how does it? How How? How do you help your family, man? You know? Your kids, your dad and when you're coming home, I sell them soon.

Months going by, six months going by, a year going by, going in two years, you know? I keep telling them soon. I mean, I hear you, but, and this is not what you want to hear, but it could have been so much worse. Absolutely.

Absolutely. Can I ask you a question during the trial? Did any of the other stuff, did you ever testify that, hey, this is what I believe this whole thing stems from? Absolutely. Okay. I took the stand in federal court. And my attorney, Mr. Bloom, said, Ray, he said, listen, I want you to take the stand. And I took the stand.

You're super credible. I took the stand. And I looked at every last one of those jurors. And I said, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. But if I back up for a second, they had me walk down this long carter with the shackles cutting into my ankle. felt like somebody had razor blades round my ankle just cutting you know

and when I walked in the courtroom they chose 11 whites one black and one black alternate all business people there was a chill that came over my body that I can't even describe to you and it wasn't until I began to recite the 23rd song

the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want he prepared the table in the presence of my enemies and when I got on that stand I say, ladies in the gentleman of the jury, you all are the same people that read the paper each and every day. I said, I was a highly decorated officer.

I've never been in trouble my entire life. This is my department coming at me because I spoke out against corruption within the agency. They're the ones planting drugs and taking money and being black innocent offenders to the ground. It's not me. I haven't done anything wrong.

I was a gold cross recipient, civil cross recipient, a two-time deputy of the month. I said, but you all are the ones that read the paper. And you fabricate, and the case is fabricated. So, therefore, you guys based on information on what you've read in the paper. And the person could be innocent. I said, I'm innocent.

When they said I was going to these various states, I met work. And I'm going to tell you right now, every journal in that place was literally in tears, man. You know? And the fact of the matter is that they said they come back within 30. they came back within 30 minutes, but they could have come back within 10 minutes. All of us was found not guilty. Even the ones that took a plea, Matt,

the judge say, no, I'm going to get them time served. Hmm. I was going to say, but prior to being incarcerated, like the types of things and the corruption that I saw going through, just going through this, through the system on the other side, going through the system on the other side,

even though I know the bulk of these guys are guilty. You know, the bulk of them are guilty. Like, but even the twisting of the truth and the corruption and the hiding evidence and all the slimy thing that, things that happen. And I'm not saying all prosecutors are bad or all cops are bad, obviously.

But, you know, just, but it doesn't take many to make it the whole system look horrible. And just seeing that, like, prior to going through that system and seeing it, like, I wouldn't have believed it. Like, if I, you're sitting on a jury, like, to me, it's like, well, if the prosecutor says it, like, he wouldn't lie. You know what I mean?

Like, you believe that. So to me, a jury trial is, is terrifying. But luckily, and this is what's so funny, is that the majority of the time, they can tend to see through

the bullshit. Right. If you're lucky. Right. You know, and luckily, most of time it's pretty clear cut most of time there's evidence it's clear cut the person's involved the person's guilty you know but the fear is of course like in your in your case like you know um you've still got government officials saying this is what happened and and luckily they didn't fabricate any really fabricate any evidence that they sound like they only had like this one guy and some law enforcement officers i'm sure so it's exactly that's that and you know what's a

amazing to me, all in was promoted. The guy who patted me on my shoulder, Ricky Clark, he was promoted to a lieutenant colonel. The guy who arrested me, he was promoted to a detective, the one I let you listen to on the audio tape.

I was going to say, you know, in the BOP, because they have such a strong union, it's so hard to, and I don't know how it is in the police force, but it's typically so hard. so hard to fire an officer

that a lot of times if they're a problem to get rid of them, they advance them or send them to another department. So what happens is you're a problem, you don't get fired, you get shifted around, but you keep getting advanced. Right. So you end up with a whole group of guys at the top

that are just crap, but they just can't seem to get rid of them. And see, that's the problem, man. You know, to this day, I still love law enforcement. I will always love law enforcement because they did a lot for me. as a young kid that I remember. And there's a lot of men and women

that put the uniform on each and every day to make a difference. And I was one of them. I've inspired so many different people. The same guy I was telling you about they had to shoot out with Scott Israel and depart. Right.

Well, he owned his own construction company. How about he gave me a job when he was a foreman? I talked about it in the book. It was a started construction. He gave me a job making $9 an hour as a labor. I'm out there digging up sewer ladders and water services the same guy who I used to tell

when to go to bed and wake up he became my boss. He's over me so you got to be careful how you treat people's on your way up because you're definitely going to meet him on your way back down. He stopped my wife and told my wife, listen, she didn't even know who he was and he says my name is Gassanakins.

They call me G. Fresh. He gave $40 and said send this to my man Hicks and tell him to put it in his commissary account. See this is the thing He's now on his own construction company. There's another young man named Antonio Smith. Antonio should be on the street corner selling drugs. I'm like, Antonio, what's up, man?

What are you going to do with your life, man? Dude, you need to get off these streets, man. But guess what? Antonio drive 18 wheel of trucks now. He got a family now. He's making $150,000 a year. I could just go on with the list of the people that I've inspired along the way. And that's what I'm saying.

It's wrong. It's a disgrace that they took something from me that I love. But one thing is for sure, my sergeant now, James Booker, has come forth. After 35 years of service, Mr. Tom Devine and Mr. Robert Ward, who was actually trying to get me and my family in front of Congress, and I'm hoping and praying that one day I get a chance to go there, he's come forth now. He'd say, Ray was one of the best.

You don't have to take my word. Go to the law enforcement blog and you're going to type in Raymond Hicks and they're going to tell you that I was one of the best. Someone asked the question, who was the best deputy ever worked for the Barrow Sheriff's Office?

Hands down, Raymond Hicks. Everything that asks of me to do, I did it. Did you ever, when this whole thing after you walk out of court, did you ever think about trying to reapply to another, another, county? Yes, I did. As a matter of fact, they promised to give me my job back. They were supposed to give me my job back. Even the union that I was actually affiliated with, right? F-O-P-E. They

wouldn't even represent me, but they was taking my money every two weeks. And I said, well, how come you got, you're taking my money, but how come you won't represent me? Oh, because of the complexity of the case. What do you mean? It's one guy. It's one guy. The complexity of the case is one guy. Yeah. And that's what, you know, it's just, go to show you, man, in life. You know, you live and learn each and every day, Matt. And I've learned a lot of things, man, you know, this whole thing have motivated me. It inspired me to be even more of a better person that I've ever been before, you know. So now I have a foundation called the Raymond L. Hicks LLC Foundation where we get back to underprivileged kids. You know, I have a

cookout. It's a multicultural. It's black, whites, and Hispanics. And I have, we've become. together, we get them school material, book bags, it's a big cookout, we have clothes, shoes, and now that I've actually joined Five Beta Sigma of Gamma Gamma Sigma, within one year, I won the highest award. It has never been done in the history of Five Beta Sigma since 1948. I won two awards within one year since I've been a Sigma. And it's just going to show you, man, that I went back to college and I graduated college with a 3.97 GPA.

But I'm that same kid that couldn't even read and write when I was eight or nine years of age. My dad dropped out in third grade. My mom dropped out in seventh grade. See, a lot of time, people don't even know what goes on in the hood, man. But I thank God for Miss Kirby. She was Caucasian.

She was about 4 foot 11, 100 pounds, soaking wet. And she said, every time I ask you to read a sentence, you get into a fight. Because my dad had me fighting every since I was six punching the sock and bacham, you know? and she said, you come here. She said, you're very respectful,

but you're getting into a fight every time I asked you to read the census. Well, Matt, I couldn't read. Right. I had nobody help me. There are so many kids that's coming up in the hood, man, that don't have the help. And they're forced to go out there

and they do things that they know that they shouldn't do in order for them to survive. But I thank God for Ms. Kirby. And I said, you know what? To this day, I wish she can see me now. because I graduated with a 3.97 with my bachelor's degree and criminal justice and forensic signing

from American Intercountry University in Weston. I went back and got my doctorate degree and theology. So there's all these things that I'm saying to you, I'm grateful, I'm thankful to the Lord, Matt, because God has done some marvelous and magnificent things in my life. And even though I sit here and I share tears because it hurt. But one thing, back in the days, I cried for nothing. My dad used to tell me

grown men don't cry You suck it up Don't ever let me catch you crying My wife would tell you my cousin Them come over to the house Oh I ain't going over Uncle Raymond house Because my dad

He was that kind of dude man He'll punch you in your chest Like it ain't no tomorrow As a young kid And make you stand up You know what I mean You know you couldn't be no punk around him It's just not going to happen

And that's why I look back over my life and I'm saying, this is crazy. But, man, it's been 21 years, man. 21 years. And I tell you as a brother that love you and respect you and Kobe, and I appreciate the fact that you've given me the opportunity to come here and drive to Tampa

to sit down and have an interview with you based on our story in reference to the fact that what has happened to me and my family. Am I bitter? No, I'm not bitter. Am I angry? No, I'm not angry. because one thing is for sure

some of the things that they took God has given it back to me the home that they took from they gave me 24 hours to get out the door they evicted me and my family you got 24 hours to get out December 21st 2011

Lord where am I going to go I had to give away all my furniture to family members and friends I had to put stuff in storage and I said This is a time that I'm literally about to lose it You know They sent me death threats bro

The Browseerf office Left it on my answer machine I called 911 They sent the gentleman out by the name of Rick Watson I say Rick listen to this audio tape I'd be lying in my room in a pile of blood So I went and bought an AK with 180 rounds I told my mom you might was go get your black dress

man she said son don't do this man i said mom these people want to take me in my family life but through it all you know my mom say listen i didn't raise you like that and i took it back and i sold it to the same place where i got it from you know why because vengeance is the lord it's not mine matt and i've learned through all of this here because i'm telling you as a brother that love you respect you god has allowed me an opportunity my credit went from almost an 800 beacon score to 400. But BSO had to give me my back pay. They had to give me my retirement,

which they were supposed to give me my full retirement. They were supposed to give me my job back when I was exonerated out of federal court. They told me I had my job in two weeks. They didn't give it back to me. But guess what? Matt, they continued with the harassment. They stormed my home a second time.

After you were found not guilty? After I was firm not guilty. Okay. They said I was shooting at someone in my backyard. My wife and I, we was in court. My neighbor who lived down the street, he was a sergeant. He saw my wife and I in court. So you're in court and they're saying that they're...

I'm assuming that someone in my backyard. So of course, 60-some, 70-some cops throwing my home had my house roped off and everything. They go in my house without a search warrant, just violating all my, all my, all my Constitution Civil Rights. And I'm saying to myself, how, and so there I am, this black guy, he comes up and tell me, put your effing hands behind your back. I say, dude, if you put your freaking hands on me, one of us going to leave here today. So my neighbor, who happened to be a deputy, Lisa, she comes across the street.

Raymond, come on, man, don't do this, man. I say, do what? I say, this is, I haven't done nothing wrong. And he's going to tell me, I make sure. I said, I eat maize. they trained me to do all kind of stuff Matt I was on the emergency response team I was on field force

you know you name it I did it trust me I went in a situation that most people were cringe when you talk about buying and all this other crazy stuff that they had me doing man I never wore a wire anything this is the kind of stuff they had me do

it's a shame it's a disgrace so I take that case to trial right and the judge the judge say the shooting one the shooting yes god

are you what happened I take it the trial in front of Honorable Stephen DeLuke and Deerfield and the judge say what a victim

we don't have a victim did you do a belicit test no where the bullet casing we don't have it he said so where's the officer that generated

this probable cause affidavit oh he'd no longer work for the department so this was just harassment I mean that's obvious why are you even

talking, why are you even talking in front of the fucking judge at that point? Exactly. So, so, so in a way, while I'm there handcuffed, before I get the trial, I tell my wife to go show the guy the documents, she puts it in the documents to a lieutenant or captain, within second, they dissipated. They were all gone. They tried to charge me through the mail, and that's when I took the case in front of Judge Honorable Stephen DeLuke in Deerfield.

And he, and the state asks for a continuance, he says continuous is denied. Everything I'm telling you is in this book right here. and all of a sudden the judge said you mean to tell me he said what the officer that generate

this probable cause affidavit he no longer worked for the department he said but you're the state you couldn't find him he said

well I tell you what we go into trial in the next 10 minutes within 10 minutes I would trial by the courts and I was acquitted by the judge this is a good judge I mean the judge

could see through all of it and said hey let's I'll wrap this up real quick you know Because let's face it, he could have given him time. He could have let him build some bullshit. If they asked for continuance, he says continuance is denied.

No, I'm saying. That's what I'm saying is that he obviously said, okay, I'm going to deny the continuance, make you try it. I already know you have no case, and then I'll just acquit him. Because he could see it was bullshit. You know what I'm saying? Otherwise, he would have said, you get the continuance, and he would have given them time to try and put something together.

So he quashed it right there. So, yeah, you're, you're, that's a good judge. Well, then guess what? Well, you ain't ready for this one because all of a sudden I go and win the highest award in the community. I win the African American Chiefs Award. I helped 25 kids accomplish a high school diploma GED. I helped my mother with the help of my wife and my oldest daughter, helped my mom get a high school diploma at 55 years of age who had to drop out to school

and harvest in the fields of Georgia when she was seven. I helped my brother at the age of 32. He worked for the county right now with the help of my wife and my oldest daughter. And all of a sudden, I win this prestigious award. Don't take my word. Go to African-Americanachievers.com and type in in 2004, you're going to see Raymond Hicks there.

A philanthropist, Mr. Jim Moran, who was a Southeast Toyota distributor, was the one that actually give this war to blacks who goes out within the community to make a difference. And I was one of them. And I won this award. Well, guess what? The Browar Sheriff off the store in my home a third time.

This time, they were looking to kill me. But they had to kill my daughter and my son. My daughter was 18 years of age and my son was four years of age. And they come there and they tell me they have a want for my arrest again. I say, one for my arrest for what? Oh, we can't. I say, here are you guys go again with the same BS telling me about you can't tell me what you got to want for, but you at my house?

So all of a sudden, I said, but you got a job to do. So I'm trying to get my arms in back of me, and I was bigger than what I am now, so I couldn't get my arms in back of me. So this dude named Robert Crum, who worked Drug Task Force, he told the sergeant, he said, we're going to need a double set of cuffs. So the Caucasian saw, you say,

man, F that, put the effing cuffs on them like I told you to. So the two of them got into a verbal confrontation that literally almost led to a physical altercation. there in my yard. He said, man, the man can't get his arm behind him. And he's, and then I was saying, he said, go get the Shikos. I said, what's the purpose of the Shikos, Sarge?

Oh, Ray, you're a big guy. We don't want any problem. I said, Sarge, if it was going to be a problem, it had been a problem a long time ago. But you got a job to do. So, of course, they handcuffed me that put a double set of cups on, you know, and that put me in Shikos, put me in the cruiser,

take me down to the district and when I arrived there they got 25 deputies waiting on me in the Sally Port with black gloves on so one of the guys who I helped get the job his name is Richard Lee Deputy Richard Lee he was working booking

and he heard the call come over so he said man I stay here because I had a temp out of this world Matt I had a fight where I tore up all this I won a civil cross the war I lost my knuckle there and I tore up all this here

of fighting with this huge black dude, about 6-4-270 or 6-2-7, whatever it was. You know, he tried to throw the sergeant over the rail and literally hit the sergeant and knocked him out and he punched me and literally knocked me out. And when I got my equilibrium, I put a weapon on him, you know?

And we both went to the hospital that day. I had two cats on my hand. And I'm saying to myself, this is crazy, man. You know, and so in a way, I asked Lee. I said, Lee, I said, what did they charge me with? He said, child abuse. Child abuse.

My wife would tell you, I ain't never put my hands of my own kids. I ain't never touched nobody, child. So he said, you know what's strange about this is on the PC, there is no victim. So he said he went and told the sergeant,

right, in booking, and the sergeant said, well, this was done administratively. What does that mean? I heard that Ricky Clark, the same black guy, when I was first arrested who came in my house

and patted me on my shoulder? Right. Well, he was working for the child protective services, right? And they said that I patted a Caucasian female cadet and boot camp. Well, they found out

that I never touched no female cadet in boot camp. It was a female named Illinois Smith. She was the one who patted the female and it was spoken, but they tried to say it was mean.

But the young lady said, no, that, Drill Instructor Hitz never pouted me. And they found out that it was Illinois Smith. But it was the Browler Sheriff Office trying to get some type of charge on me because the reason why they was doing that, Matt, is because they're trying to justify all these different things that they've done to me, man, and my family.

So, all right, so what happened with that case? The prosecutor did a thorough investigation. She threw the case out, no process. Bro, you tell me you don't live in Brow County anymore. I do live in Browell. where I'm going. I mean, they got it out for you. Well, well, I mean, that's their prerogative, but I'm not going nowhere.

How long ago was this last one? It was 2005, if I'm not mistaken. Okay. And then they came back again. They sent the SWAT team to my house. In 2013, it had me bakeracted because I campaigned. for one of the sheriff and he promised to give me a job

they gave me a job we got into an argument next thing you know you know I got red dots everywhere man so you were arrested that time too

no they they had me Baker acted but then the judge when I begin to tell the judge everything I'm conveying to you and Mr. Colby listen they would

I mean the doctor the doctor said oh my God he said man listen the three of us standing here we couldn't even go through a fraction of what you're describing to us and they ruled in my case

they said they have never seen the SWAT team bring anybody in bake rack anybody ever before and furthermore I shouldn't even be here and they ruled and they had to give me all my gun license and everything

but again I thank God for going through there because there was a young Caucasian female her name was Kia, and she was anti-so. She wouldn't talk to her mother, her father, her grandmother, nobody. But I began to embrace her like she was my own daughter. I said, you shouldn't do that, young lady. You know, you should at least open up to them. And we talk. And of course, she started talking to her father, her grandmother, her mom. There was a young Haitian girl who was eating her own

feces. And I say, you can't do that. And I begin to show her how to, you know, how to eat. the cereals and everything else that they was given. And the medical staff says, where do you come from? Here you are a patient. I said, I'm not a patient. I'm just passing through. So, man, listen, I just want to thank you and Kobe, you know, for allowing me an opportunity to travel up here to Tampa, man,

to be in your home and be on this podcast to speak about all the things that happened to me. And I'm not even telling you guys everything, But I thank God, man, just for you, are giving me the platform, even though I know it's my story and that's okay. But at the end of the day, it gives me an opportunity to hopefully show other people that's out there who may be struggling or going through trials and tribulation, which is adversity. But adversity build character. It makes you stronger. It brings you closer to God. And I hope and pray that my story can be an inspiration to others to let them know that no matter what you go through.

trust God in the midst of the storm trust God see because when I was a young kid when we didn't have food on the table Matt I watched my mom get down on her knees and stretch our arms out towards heaven and as she began to

pray Miss Maggie Wallace came down the street with three bags of groceries the father of the son in the Holy Spirit and I would never forget it the longest day I live my mother cooked pork chops rice and gravy that day So I know there is a God.

My wife would tell you there is a God. You know, and that's why I say, I look up and thank the Lord. And even though we live paycheck to paycheck, but one thing is for sure, I don't worry about nothing, man, because I know that God going to always provide for me and my family. He has done it before and he will continue to do it. Because one day, you mark my words, Matt. One day, God is going to allow me an opportunity, man, to speak publicly like I'm speaking right now, and it's going to captivate the people's attention.

But I also want to let them know that, listen, no matter what you go through in life, see, sometimes God has to bring you to the lowest point of your life to show you who everybody is. Here you show you what your wife is about. Here you show you what your mother is about. Here's show you what your kids about. Your brother, your sister, your cousin, your uncles, your aunt, your friends, your acquaintance, your socius. Here's show you who everybody is. Because a lot of times when you appear and they appear with you, then guess what?

You don't know who these people's are. It's when you're at the lowest point of your life. So that's why when I talk about this guy, Booker, my sergeant have always been there for me and my family, man, him in his family. You know, they came to my house. before we was evicted. And he said, Ray, how can I help, man?

They gave me $2,286.22 cents. They helped pay my rent, my rent, because it wasn't a mortgage. Anytime I needed something, he was always there. Always giving me encouraging words. He said, Ray, you was chosen, man. See, it's just like you, Matt, you went through what you went through, and yeah, you may have been wrong for whatever you did, but guess what? God took you through that in order for you to have this platform right here that you and Kobe got. You know why? Because you're reaching so many people far greater than you ever thought that you can meet. You and I would have never met if it had not been for you going through what you went through.

You wouldn't be sitting over there right now. He wouldn't be sitting there recording right now. so God work in mysterious ways my brother that's what I'm trying to tell you see and one thing is for sure I just hope and pray that I can just inspire other people I don't reach out to everybody man I don't reach out to the big mega churches the pastors some everybody the media and everybody else and guess what but my sergeant said to me he says Ray if you had never gone through what you went through his name is James Booker and Yelanta and the daughter, Aaliyah, that I've been knowing ever since she was born. He said, Ray, if you had never gone through what you went through, how could you be author of a book?

They're talking about doing a movie. As a matter of fact, we're raising funds right now for them to get ready to do a trailer. There was a movie that was going to come out titled Behind the Badge by Raymond Hicks. Don't take my word. Go to Google and look it up. A brother out of it. New York, Mr. Joel Wine, who actually produced Invasion of the USA, we're going to produce the movie. But because of the pandemic and everything else, it's been placed at a standstill. Right. But it's okay. Because one thing is for sure, my timing is not God timing.

So I'm just telling you, he says, Ray, if you had never gone through what you went through, you wouldn't have never went back to college. you wouldn't have went back and got your doctorate degree. How about this? My kids, my wife, hardworking morning, man. She worked six, seven days a week, 10 hours, 12-hour shifts to take care of the family. She had the fork down while I was there, gone, keeping the kids busy. I would never forget that the long as day I live.

I've had other people, man, that actually helped me in my family. And I'm saying to myself, Lord, I thank you. So it's a reason why you had to go through what you went through, Matt. And that's what I want to share with you, my brother. You may not see it now, but at some point, God will reveal it to you. And as a matter of fact, he is revealing it to you. You know why? Because you didn't know me and I never knew you.

But I'm sitting here in your home. so it was predestined before you and I came into an existing that God would have you and I send the cross from each other talking about what you went through what I've experienced and how we hear today

talking about it here so the world can see this is the second time I'm going to cry today the second time I had a podcast earlier that I started tearing up at but was in tears.

I mean, I know all that. Like everything you're saying, I know. So I just try not to think about it. Yeah, but you know what? But it's a good thing, though. It's a good thing, bro. It's just like when I called you, I said, listen, I said, Matt, I'm going to be there.

Some people tell you, oh, man, I'll be there and you don't see them. They come up with excuses. That's not me. As soon as I got off from work, I told my wife, listen, let's go get this car, with this car, and we're on the road, man. I'm here. And I appreciate you, man. I thank you.

I just thank Bobby Ladigar. Man, I love that, brother, man. You understand me? I tell him all the time. I said, Bobby, I don't care what you say, how you said. Ms. Jane Turner, Mr. Tom Devine, Mr. Terry Watson, Mr. Robert Ward, Ms. Anna Popovich, Ms. Victoria. I can just go on with the list, man, because these are the people that God have brought in my country and put me in contact with who are trying to help me because they've heard my story.

Ms. Sarah, Ms. Sarah told me, she said, listen, my son is a ranger. And she said, if I would want my son to be, to mimic anybody, would be just like you, to have a leader just like you. That's huge. She don't know me from a can of paint. But see, that's the thing And that's why I say that I love eagles, man If you notice my ringtone is an eagle

And people don't even know it The eagle is such a strong bird Especially the bow They go into the storm But the storm takes the eagle higher So I tell people all the time I'm a lion, but I'm an eagle

But I'm a dove also I'm just as humble as you can as I can be. My wife would tell you, I give you the shirt off my back. But when it come down to, you know, standing up, I stand firm, man. I go into the storm.

I don't run away from storms because the storm is taking me higher. So these trials and tribulation that we've gone through, Matt, is taking us higher. Higher. Well, I'll listen, I'm glad you came. I'm glad you made the drive.

Thank you. Yeah, definitely thank you for coming and talking with me and telling me this story. Is there anything else you want to say? You know, there's a lot of great people, man, that came and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, you know, and, and, and, and, and, and. and helped me and my family, another brother that I actually supervised. So after all that stuff I mentioned to you, I got on with the United States Department of Homeland Security, through a subcontractor.

I became a lieutenant. I became a captain and a SWAT commander for ICE, immigration customer enforcement. Through all of that. Is that what you're doing now? I'm actually working for Apple now. I do special op for Apple. So you have to be retired law enforcement in order to do what I do. I've traveled all over the world

protecting some of the biggest principles that exist like Princess Fahada. She's the daughter of King Abdullah from Saudi Arabia. She has five sons, all on Prince. I was working with a company called Carlson Associate out of Virginia. Paul Collis is the CEO. Tom Lohen is the vice president.

So that's why I look up, man, and I just say, Lord, and even they said to me, Ray, where you come from? Because they believe in loyalty. They took me everywhere with them. And that's why I say, man, you know, this is a blessing right here, Matt, you know. And God, I just pray that God continue to bless your platform, man. And I know he will, you and my man, Kobe, you know.

And I just hope and pray that God just take you guys to love it that you have never seen before. Why? Because you're doing an awesome thing when you interviewing people like myself and others, and even including you who have gone through some trials and tribulations. But God is showing you that, you know what, you don't have to do this or do that in order for you to be here. He have all the riches of the world, man. Do you not know that people just go play the lotto, they get a scratch off immediately. They're millionaires.

See, that's how God work. And that's the thing. That's why I look up and I thank the Lord every day, man. So, you know, you continue to be on that journey, man. I'm definitely going to keep you in my prayers. You know, and I don't know if it's okay with you, but I would definitely love to say a quick prayer, man, you know, if it's all right with you. Yeah. You know, Heavenly Father, I just want to thank you for this day.

This is truly the day that you have made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Father God, you say, well, two or three are gathering your name. You have to be in the midst. And Father God, I thank you for this day, Father God, that you allow me to come into Brother Matt House, Father God, with Kobe and my wife, Father God. speaking about these trials and tribulations that we've gone through that we've experienced Father God Lord but we just trust you

and we know who you are Father God in spite of the fact that we reached out for 21 years but now Father God our story is going forward we thank you Father God gracious God and giving us Jesus you have to ever change our human destiny

through Christ birth preaching and healing you show us how to live with your sons through Christ death and resurrection you breathe new hope within us reconciling renewing us heal us of our brokenness. As a one holy people, you might be a light to the world preparing for the return of your son who lived and ream within you. And Father God, I pray that you continue to bless Brother Matt House right now, Father God. Lord, take him higher than he's ever

been in his entire life, Father God. Let him continue to reach other people, Father God, and their stories. Lord, you chose him, Father God, to do the things that he's doing. And, Lord, we give you praise and honor and glory. We bless your name. Lord, we ask these blessings and any other blessings your name, Father God. And Lord, don't forget about Kobe, Father God. Lord, bless his hands, Father God. As he began to use these equipment, Father God. Lord, you orchestrate everything that he needs to do

to take him higher, Father God. Him and Matt both. Lord, we thank you, Father God. Lord, we ask these blessings and other blessing. Your name, Jesus. Amen. Well, thank you. Yes, sir.

I appreciate it. The book is actually on Amazon. It's in Barnes & Noble. online. It's on the Kinder Fire. It's also on Amazon, Bonzanova, and also Walmart online. You can get the book there. And there's an audio book as well. The audiobook is a bestseller. The gentleman who edited my, did the audio, his name is Jason Donnelly. He's actually originally from Alabama. Of course, I've never met him a day in my life, you know. It's just the Spirit of the Lord said to me that, you know, should narrate my book and that audio book is a bestseller and I know that once this book right

here is actually placed into the stores you know I'm still standing by Raymond Hicks it's going to take off like a rocket because everything that I've said here today is in this little small book right here all the documents and everything else I put appendix in the back of the book as you can see you know there's so many appendix in the back of the book and um but again i give god the praise you know and um i go to different events man i help the young kids and that's that's that's that's that's what we do you know we inspire young kids and let them know hey i came from where you came from i came from the gutter but i made it and i thank god you know and um the lord has been doing some great things in our life man and i tell anybody if you don't have a relationship with god you should

get one, you know, because one thing is for sure. It's not man or woman that got me through the situation. It's my family and it's my relationship with God and my closest friend that I actually been there for me. And I just thank God, man. And I thank God for you, Matt. You and Kobe, man. Thank you guys so much, man. I really appreciate it. Thank you guys for watching the video. If you like the video, do me a favor, subscribe, hit the bell so you get notified of videos like this, leave us a comment and definitely go into the description and click the link by the book or by the audiobook. And I appreciate you guys watching. See ya.