Curt Johnson dies,Bobbie Kaszey, Crawford, Edwards and Facci Steal his snakes

As many of you may know the herp industry lost and great member, Curt Johnson Died this week. That is the loss.

Now the ghoul part,

The family of Curt had not even had time to get over the shock when people started knocking on the front door demanding snakes in several different manors.

Some of the reasons were,

Curt called me last week and said I can have all his snakes

If you (the family) keep the snakes w/o a venomous permit the state will arrest you.

I will take the snakes and sell them for you

and many more.

A little back gound, Curt had most likely 1 of the rarest collection of hots in the country Like Golds tree cobras, hypo king cobras, proven blackheads python ect... he had at anytime over a 100 snakes in this caliber. cash value of over $25,000.

I have known Curt for about 2 or 3 years and he had came to my home alot. He was a great man that at times would give a snake to you and not want a dime for it. He often called his snakes his kids and would never want the collect broken up and sold.

Now within 24 hours of his death the following people started knocking on the front door wanting snakes.

Robby Kaszey Glades herps
Joe Facci (sp) Southeast reptiles
Stephen Crawford Southeast reptiles
Robert Edwards

According to Curt's family the above named people took the snakes and told them that the snakes were worth only 2k for all 100 plus snakes and the family did not know any better until the snakes were gone. Now the family has called in the FWC and Tampa police to get all the snakes back. In cluding the snakes that Kassy and Edwards have already sold. Some laws have been broken by fwc standards.

The Family is keeping me informed and as at least one of the ghouls has paid the price for stealing from the dead, some of the the animals that he took are now safely in the control of the fwc and he can tell the judge why he did it.

The family holds great hope that all the snakes will be returned this week, fwc is working hard for the family.

If you hear or are offered by these thiefs any rare snakes from the above snakes please contact the officer at 813.376.2268 this is his cell #.

The sales of these snakes are to go to the family for upcoming bills.

In some small way Curt did this, He kept great records with photos and microchip # along with what snakes were on loan and who owned it.

It just makes my skin crawl to (now) know in fact that there are people that will steal from the departed. I hope that they all share the same cell and people knock on the doors of thier houses and demand the snakes that are there.

Picture this,

Knock , knock Hi MS. Crawford, Facci, Edwards or Kaszey, My name is Tieman and I actually own these snake, they were on loan. I know that your other half just got arrested, I passed them in the driveway. I will start packing them up now, thank you.

or the same beginning but with, I will take these $20,000 worth of snakes and sell them so you and your kids and pay rent on your old trailer and buy food. I will return someday with $2,000.

or this,
If you keep these snakes you will go to jail so you have to give them to me.

Rob,
If what you write is true I say you should have titled thread
A great industry loss and the LOW LIFE SCUM BAGS that want to make a profit from deceiving his grieving family.
Too bad you didn't put the bad guy names in title of this thread as it would have shown up when a search was done on any of them. I believe a new low has been reached on the BOI!

Just a dumb question. If the family doesn't really know the value of the snakes and were so easily parted with the snakes then it would seem to follow that they really don't know much about these snakes. If that is correct then why would they want them returned? I understand the family must feel somewhat cheated but certainly from what I've read it doesn't seem the family is capable of caring for them considering they didn't even know what the snakes were worth to begin with.

Is this about the money or the animals?

I believe this would qualify as hearsay. The family is the one that should be posting if they feel cheated.

Originally Posted by critical bill

Just a dumb question. If the family doesn't really know the value of the snakes and were so easily parted with the snakes then it would seem to follow that they really don't know much about these snakes. If that is correct then why would they want them returned? I understand the family must feel somewhat cheated but certainly from what I've read it doesn't seem the family is capable of caring for them considering they didn't even know what the snakes were worth to begin with.

Is this about the money or the animals?

Great point Chuck

To me it would be about prinicipal. They belonged to her husband. I understand the family were unable to care for them. From what we are reading the guys who took them weren't too concerned about their care. They turned around an flipped them... Where did the proceeds of said sale go??

The family did not know the true values and only found it out another of Curt's went over there to offer a hand to the family with the daily care of the snakes. It was told to him (and later to me) by the family what had taken place and who did it.

Maybe a little more back ground, Curt's family is very low middle glass and Curt had no insurance to fall back on for a burial. The 4 men in question here were all told that the animals (not the ones on breeder loan) needed to be sold to bury Curt. They were told that the animals were only worth 2k. Now I ask you guys, what is a proven pair of Black head pythons worth, Curt had 2.3 or 4.4 proven golds tree cobras. These animals alone would wholesell for over15k and these would not put a dent in his collection.

It is true this would hold more water coming from Curt's family but I am hardly going to ask them to come he and relive not only the death itself but to relive being stolen fromby 4 scumbags while the body was still warm and I do not think that any of you would want that either.

Have you Alerted the family and those four people to this thread so that all sides can be told?

If you're going to be the spokesperson for the family then you'll need to answer a few questions.

1 - who told them that the value of the snakes was only $2000. It is doubtful that all of them had the same story since they are competitors and probably didn't show up at the same time?

2- at least 1 of the individuals offered to sell the snakes for them. That actually could be legitimate. Is there any proof that this person was lying?

My problem is that you've lumped all these guys together when possibly only one lied and was a scumbag. Who knows really. Why didn't one of Curt's friends offer to help out with the snakes? Surely they must have realized that the snakes would be a burden on them since they have no experience and these were hots.

Now this is just my opinion based on the information we have received up to this point.
If these people just showed up unbidden, as a group or singly, and started with the lies & excuses to get custody of these snakes they are lower than Cynomya mortuorum larva.
As for expecting the family to come on here and wade through all this, I don't believe it is a reasonable idea at this time as anyone who has lost a close loved one can attest to. They are suffering so much stress due to their loss etc they really do not need this added to it.

I know this post has made me grateful that I am training my wife on the care of my animals and that she is fully involved in the business end.

Originally Posted by Rabid Hobbit

The family did not know the true values and only found it out another of Curt's went over there to offer a hand to the family with the daily care of the snakes. It was told to him (and later to me) by the family what had taken place and who did it.

Maybe a little more back ground, Curt's family is very low middle glass and Curt had no insurance to fall back on for a burial. The 4 men in question here were all told that the animals (not the ones on breeder loan) needed to be sold to bury Curt. They were told that the animals were only worth 2k. Now I ask you guys, what is a proven pair of Black head pythons worth, Curt had 2.3 or 4.4 proven golds tree cobras. These animals alone would wholesell for over15k and these would not put a dent in his collection.

It is true this would hold more water coming from Curt's family but I am hardly going to ask them to come he and relive not only the death itself but to relive being stolen fromby 4 scumbags while the body was still warm and I do not think that any of you would want that either.

Your version is riddled with such inaccuracies. First off, Curt began selling off his collection back in the Mid/Late summer. Now for your version vs the truth.

1. Gold's Tree Cobra's- One specimen was sold to a zoo friend of Curt's back in the summer. Proven? These weren't proven, as he never had the time to breed these. That's not the point, but quit drumming this up. Wholesale for $15k? Are you kidding me?

2. After Curt passed away, HIS MOM placed a telephone call to Southeast Reptile Exchange (Curt's former place of employment) to ask Joe/Steven to come collect the snakes. Nobody rushed over, these two individuals were asked to come and get the snakes. That was the first number his mom found in his phonebook, and thats who she called. Plain and simple.

3. Blackheaded Pythons- Curt hasn't had these for two years, as he sold them off.

4. Robbie Kezzey- Curt and Robbie were friends. Curt sold a number of animals to Robbie, as he was one of the very few people in this hobby/industry that Curt trusted and liked.

So since your so "close to Curt and his family" ask his parents what happened, since you obviously don't have a clue. It seems as if you have something against the four individuals mentioned above. Moderators, just close this thread. Curt never ventured on to internet forums (Can you understand his reasoning?) because of nonesense like this.