Former Boston Housing Secretary Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Overtime Forms

BOSTON – Deborah Shea, 47, a former executive secretary at the Boston Housing Authority (BHA), pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to falsifying overtime forms. The defendant lied about working overtime and forged her supervisor’s signature on the overtime forms.

According to court documents, Shea submitted false overtime claims to the BHA, resulting in the payment of approximately $34,000 in unauthorized overtime compensation. Shea’s supervisor was unaware of her actions and had not authorized the overtime payments.

The defendant’s actions were discovered during an investigation by the Boston Office of the United States Attorney and the Boston Housing Authority’s Office of the Inspector General. The investigation revealed that Shea had falsified her time records and forged her supervisor’s signature on the overtime forms.

Shea’s plea agreement includes a sentence of 12 months in federal prison, to be followed by 1 year of supervised release. The defendant has also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $34,000.

Shea is set to be sentenced on May 15, 2024, by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV. The defendant was released on personal recognizance pending sentencing.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dina Barrett of Shea’s office, with assistance from the Boston Housing Authority’s Office of the Inspector General.

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