Mark Johnson’s Story

Mark Johnson A US Veteran living in his vehicle due to the illegal Eviction from his Home in Markham , IL 

The Bread and the Badge: The Story of Walter Grady

Walter Grady wasn’t a criminal.

He was a soldier. A father. A man who once stood tall in desert sands halfway around the world under the blistering sun, defending people he would never meet again. But now, at 63, Walter found himself standing in a cold fluorescent-lit convenience store aisle in Dallas, Texas, staring at a $2.79 loaf of white bread he couldn’t afford.

That morning, he’d skipped breakfast so his grandson could eat the last two slices. Walter was a widower, a retired staff sergeant, and a full-time guardian to his 10-year-old grandson, Malik. Malik’s mother—Walter’s daughter—had passed away from complications during surgery. Malik’s father was never in the picture.

Walter’s military pension had been garnished due to a bureaucratic error with his VA disability paperwork, and his SNAP benefits had been denied due to a missed appointment he never received notice for. His electricity had been shut off the night before. The fridge was empty. Malik had school in the morning.

And he needed something to eat.

Walter didn’t plan to steal. He walked into the store with the intention of asking the clerk if he could just owe it for a few days. But when he opened his mouth, the words wouldn’t come out. His pride clamped down on his throat like a vise. So instead, he slipped the loaf under his coat and walked out.

He didn’t get far.

A young clerk had seen him, followed him, and called the police. The officers who arrived were sympathetic, but the theft had already been reported. Protocol was protocol. Walter was arrested. A loaf of bread. Stolen by a veteran who once dodged bullets for his country, now cuffed for trying to feed a child.

But That’s Not Where the Story Ends.

When the story hit local news, it spread fast. “Veteran Arrested for Stealing Bread to Feed Grandson.” It sparked outrage—and compassion. A local public defender took his case pro bono. Veterans’ groups rallied behind him. A GoFundMe page raised $38,000 in two days. The VA fast-tracked his disability claim. A local grocer offered him a job delivering food boxes to other struggling veterans. The charges were dismissed.

But Walter didn’t want pity. He wanted justice—not just for himself, but for others like him. He started speaking at city council meetings. He met with state representatives. He became a voice for veterans failed by the very system they fought to uphold. He partnered with a nonprofit that now runs a pantry named “Grady’s Table,” serving over 1,000 veterans a month.

“It wasn’t about bread,” he later told a crowd of high school students. “It was about being seen. About what happens when you’re invisible long enough that stealing bread feels like your only option.”

Walter Grady’s story is not just about hardship. It’s about resilience, about how a moment of desperation can become a catalyst for change when a community chooses compassion over condemnation. It’s a reminder that patriotism isn’t just flags and anthems—it’s feeding those who served when they fall through the cracks.

My name is Mark Johnson, am an honorably discharged veteran of the US Army and former School Board member of District 228. I entered into a Sell Stay agreement with EasyKnock, a real estate company based in New York. Unfortunately, their mistakes in the transaction have caused numerous problems, leading them to want to evict me and my two sons due to these issues. Easyknock Revoked in IL  could not legally transact business in IL used EK Real Estate Fund I to evict him illegally using this ( Special Purpose Vehicle ) Spv in January of 2025 , the appraisal district in Cook County reveals Marget Johnson is the party name in the records & responsible for 2026 taxes https://assessorpropertydetails.cookcountyil.gov/datalets/datalet.aspx?mode=maildetail&UseSearch=no&pin=28142070190000&jur=016&taxyr=2025&LMparent=896

Easyknock failed to comply with the RTLO in IL and there is documented proof of communication from the City Of Markham verifing this .

For months, EasyKnock has been trying to evict us based on their alleged sell-lease agreement, which has been deemed fraudulent by multiple states. However, I have consistently maintained that the title was never transferred during the closing process. The funds were released by Clearedge Title Company in November 2022, but the ownership of my home remains unchanged. In February 2023, the City of Markham officially declared the sell-stay lease agreement null and void. My lawyer, who was involved up to the closing, never saw anything wrong with this transaction. EasyKnock has taken $49,945 from us on a deal that should have never gone through. $26,750 in Options fees, $13,000 rent pay, $1075 on the transfer of title that didn’t happen, $670 to my lawyer who I already paid, and $8,450 for repairs .

Despite these issues, we continued to make agreed-upon rent payments until EasyKnock closed its payment portal in September 2023, for a total of $13,000. Then, they filed for eviction on August 29th but failed to follow through by September 30th, 2023. EasyKnock filed late on October 5th, which makes this eviction case invalid according to Cook County RTLO § 42-801, since my property falls under their jurisdiction. With this fact in mind, the judge denied the motion for dismissal of the case and stated that EasyKnock had an additional 10 days, contrary to what the law states.

This ordeal has dragged on since December 2023, and my lawyer for the eviction case was eventually forced to withdraw due to EasyKnock's constant failure to be ready for court appearances each month. As a result, my sons and I have to appear in court without representation on July 1st for trial and eviction thereafter. It is frustrating that EasyKnock is attempting to claim our property based on a case that should never have existed in the first place.

The July 1st trial was continued until September 16th without representation, and the Judge declined to hear our arguments regarding Easyknock, refusing to dismiss the case when the evidence and laws state it should be. The absence of subpoenaed witnesses from New York complicated the trial, as they are the individuals directly involved in this ordeal and reside in the same state as Easyknock. We cannot afford to subpoena those individuals and thus, the judge didn't want to hear the evidence without them being present to testify. 

On or About April 4, 2025 Mark was parked in his vehicle when he was approached by Terrance Hall of Markham Code Enforcement to make sure he was not a squatter Mark presented his ID Terrance Hall left and within an hour he returned and stated he spoke with Beverly Deneal who told Terrance Hall that Mark Johnson was the legal owner of the property as verified by the records on the apprasial district records told him he could remove the lock that the owner of Area Wide Realty placed on the door , He did and then Called Brook Lativa of Easyknock to inform them what he confirmed by the city and she called the police and the Markham Police Department detained him . Terrance Hall also confirmed that Michael of Area Wide Realty in Cicero Il removed and loaded up Mark's possessions of over 40 years of living there and drove away with his possessions and have not offered to return them to this date or notified him where he could pick up his possessions. Michael Olszweski  the subject of a DOL investigation

 A fraud | theft report was made to the Markham Police Department against Brook Lativa of Easyknock on April 4 , 2025 

5/19/2025 Mark Johnson had a meeting at his home while he was there he checked the mail and noticed there were water bills and mail from the Building department in Markham confirming he is the legal owner of the property . 

☝️👆this was never completed | Margret Johnson -Still shown for 2026 Tax statement in appraisal records as indicated above .

Disclaimer:

The information provided herein is based on publicly available statutes, administrative rules, and enforcement precedents under the Texas Occupations Code and Texas Administrative Code. This post is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The analysis reflects a good-faith interpretation of Texas real estate law as it may apply to unlicensed real estate activity.

All entities mentioned are presumed innocent of any wrongdoing unless or until proven otherwise through appropriate legal or regulatory proceedings. If you believe this information is inaccurate, please contact the author with verifiable corrections.

This content is protected by the First Amendment and is presented in the public interest concerning real estate consumer protections in Texas.