Housing Authority director signs plea deal in federal fraud case
WHEN WE LEARN MORE, OF COURSE,
WE WILL BRING IT TO YOU DURING
THIS NEWSCAST.
>> WE HAVE NEW DETAILS TONIGHT
INVOLVING THE CHATHAM COUNTY
HOUSING DIRECTOR WHO'S ACCUSED
OF AWARDING FRAUDULENT
CONTRACTS TO MORE THAN A DOZEN
FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS.
COURT DOCUMENTS OBTAINED BY
WRAL SHOW JOANNE JOHNSON DAVIS
AGREED TO PLEAD GUILTY TO ONE
FEDERAL CHARGE WRAL'S MONICA
CASEY HAS THE LATEST ON THIS
CASE.
>> JOANNE JOHNSON DAVIS WORKED
IN THIS CHATHAM COUNTY HOUSING
AUTHORITY OFFICE, 4 YEARS.
PROSECUTORS SAY DURING HER TIME
HERE SHE USED FEDERAL DOLLARS
EARMARKED FOR HOUSING PROJECTS
TO LINE HER OWN POCKETS.
DAVIS FACED 19 COUNTS IN THIS
FEDERAL INDICTMENT, INCLUDING
WIRE AND PROGRAM FRAUD,
AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT AND
MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS.
SHE'S PLEADING GUILTY TO ONE
COUNT OF CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT
WIRE FRAUD.
>> THE PLEA AGREEMENT SAYS THAT
CHARGE CARRIES A MAXIMUM
SENTENCE OF 20 YEARS AND A
MAXIMUM FINE OF 1 MILLION
DOLLARS. FEDERAL PROSECUTORS
SAY BETWEEN 2016 2020 DAVIS
AWARDED CONTRACTS FOR HUD
PROJECTS TO MORE THAN A DOZEN
FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO KICKED
SOME OF THE MONEY BACK TO HER.
MOST OF THAT WORK WAS NEVER
DIED. PROSECUTORS SAY THE
HOUSING AUTHORITY PAID OUT MORE
THAN $200,000 IN THE FRAUDULENT
SCHEME. THAT CASH KICKBACKS
TO DAVIS RUN FROM 800 UP TO
$4500. 4 CO-CONSPIRATORS,
INCLUDING RELATIVES AS WELL AS
A FORMER AND A CURRENT HUT
EMPLOYEE ARE ALSO NAMED IN THE
INDICTMENT. THE SIGNED PLEA
AGREEMENT FOR JOANNE JOHNSON.
DAVIS WAS FILED IN THE FEDERAL
SYSTEM YESTERDAY. A JUDGE STILL
MUST SIGN OFF ON THE DEAL
BEFORE SHE SENTENCED MONICA
CASEY WRAL, NEWS IN CHATHAM
COUNTY.
>> NOW DAVIS IS ATTORNEY DID
NOT RESPOND TO A REQUEST FOR
COMMENT. WE ALSO REACHED OUT
TO ATTORNEYS FOR ALL 4 ACCUSED
CO-CONSPIRATORS IN THIS CASE.
>> WHO HAVE PLEADED NOT GUILTY.