RALEIGH, N.C. – Two members of a New Bern family were sentenced for their role in a scheme to defraud a program designed to help struggling North Carolina residents stay in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Takeeia Hawkins, age 43, and her daughter, Shanasia Hawkins, age 22, both pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud earlier this year. Takeeia Hawkins was sentenced to 36 months in prison for her role in the scheme, while…

Kelly Ballinger wrote her name on rent payments, altered renters’ incomes to steal fundsPORTLAND, Maine: A Glenburn woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland to embezzling from an organization receiving federal funds and conspiring to alter money orders.According to court records, Kelly Ballinger, 57, was a former property manager for a Portland apartment complex with residences funded by the Department of Housing and Urban…

Focused on the Use of the Fair Housing Act to Prevent and Address Complaints of Sexual Harassment in HUD-Assisted HousingRALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorneys Michael Easley for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Sandra Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina, and Dena King for the Western District of North Carolina joined the Civil Rights Division and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector…

GREENSBORO – A Durham, North Carolina woman was sentenced today to 30 months in prison, after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud that victimized the Chatham County Housing Authority, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).JOANN JOHNSON DAVIS, age 65, was sentenced to a 30-month term of imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $194,136 by the…

RALEIGH, N.C. – Two members of a New Bern family pled guilty for their role in a scheme to defraud a program designed to help struggling North Carolina residents stay in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Takeeia Hawkins, age 43, and her daughter, Shanasia Hawkins, age 22, both pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and face up to 30 years at sentencing later this year. Takeeia Hawkins’ son, Jmari Hawkins, age 24, and another…

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Shawn Thomas Johnson, 38, of Asheville, was sentenced today to 92 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for bank fraud and possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition, U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger imposed a $2.77 million asset forfeiture judgement against Johnson.According to information contained in filed…

BOSTON – A Maine woman pleaded guilty yesterday to stealing federal housing benefits from at least December 2004 through February 2020.  Rebecca Amelia Cranford, 63, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Aug. 17, 2023. Cranford was arrested and charged in September 2021.   In the early 2000s, Cranford was engaged by the owners of a…

PORTLAND, Maine: A Berwick woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for Social Security fraud and theft of public money. Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Andreanna Politano, 60, to three years of probation. She was also ordered to pay $49,976.38 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and $9,164.00 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).…

PORTLAND, Maine: A Berwick woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to Social Security fraud and theft of public money, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced. According to court records, from about March 2009 to February 2020, Andreanna Politano, 59, concealed the presence of her husband in her household to maintain her eligibility to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. SSI benefits are paid…

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U. S. District Judge Martin Reidinger sentenced Ginger Lynn Cunningham, 39, formerly of Hendersonville and currently residing in Brevard, to 14 months in prison yesterday, for selling fake title insurance policies, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Cunningham was ordered to serve three years under court supervision and to pay $412,344 as…