Former Homer Housing Authority Director and Five Others Sentenced for Theft of Public Money

SHREVEPORT, LA – February 14, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that former Homer Housing Authority (HHA) Executive Director Michelle Green, 35, of North Little Rock, Arkansas, and five co-defendants were sentenced before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote for defrauding the HHA out of $430,000.

Green was sentenced to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $430,000 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Green pleaded guilty October 29, 2012 to causing checks to be issued to friends and relatives for work allegedly performed for HHA. The defendants admitted they did no work for HHA and that they usually cashed the checks and returned much of the proceeds to Green. More than $430,000 worth of checks were written between December 2007 until Green was fired in April 2011. Green and five co-defendants were indicted in July 2012.

Co-defendant Curtis L. Mays, 34, of Harker Heights, Texas, was sentenced to probation and five years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $26,176 in restitution.

Katrina G. Robertson, 38, of Haynesville, Louisiana, received probation, five years’ supervised release, and $26,176 in restitution.

Flack D. Robertson, 35, of Haynesville, Louisiana, was sentenced to probation, five years’ supervised release, and $50,190 in restitution.

Aaron Perry, 29, of Haynesville, Louisiana, received probation, three years’ supervised release, and $20,630 in restitution.

Katrina Henderson, 34, of Shreveport, received probation, three years of supervised release, and $15,380 in restitution.

“The victims in this case are the Homer Housing Authority and the citizens of Homer, Louisiana. The defendants sought to enrich themselves at the expense of the residents who could potentially qualify and are in need of low-income housing opportunities,” Finley said. “The citizens of this community lose when criminals steal from programs like this. Our office will continue to investigate and prosecute anyone who violates the public trust in this manner.”

The Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General and the FBI investigated the case. Senior Litigation Counsel Joseph G. Jarzabek prosecuted the case.

Contact:
Western District of Louisiana
(318) 676-3641