Posted at: 06/01/2010 7:06 PM
By: Bryan Piatt

Judge Orders Local Veteran to Jail

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- The day after Memorial Day, a disabled Clarks Grove veteran is thrown in jail.

Joseph Dziubak was ordered to spend 30 days in freeborn county jail for not paying money he owes to his ex-wife.

He refuses to pay, because he claims the judge wants him to use his va disability compensation, something, he says, violates a federal law.

Members of a veterans advocacy group from New York called "Operation Fire for Effect" were in court.

They say Dzuibak shouldn't be in jail and that it's against the law for veterans to use VA payments in divorce settlements.

"Giving that away is a federal offense. He can be put under arrest or fired in such a matter that he would not be able to keep his compensation anymore. He cannot give that compensation away,” Gene Simes, with Operation Fire for Effect.
 
Dziubacks son contacted the organization for help.

He says watching his dad go to jailbreaks his heart.

"It was hard. You never want to see anyone go to jail...especially you father. My dad is my world,” says Daniel Dziubak.

We left a message with the judge's law clerk.

Our call has not been returned. 

We're told Dziubak will remain in jail for 30 days unless he makes his alimony payment in full.