Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DONNA CARNEY, 67, of Canton, was sentenced today by U.S. Circuit Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in Bridgeport to one month of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for defrauding a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) program.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in approximately 1995, Carney began receiving Section 8 tenant-based rental assistance under HUD’s housing choice voucher program.  From approximately 2004 to 2019, Carney failed to report to HUD that she was married to her landlord and therefore had an interest in the home in which she lived, failed to report certain others living in her home, and falsely claimed that unauthorized residents were live-in aides.

Judge Merriam ordered Carney to pay $33,594.

On October 12, 2022, Carney pleaded guilty to theft of government property.

Carney, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on June 29.

This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General for Investigations and the Canton Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherry.