Janet Medrano Sentenced for $280,000 Non-Profit Heist

HOUSTON – Janet Leigh Medrano, a 49-year-old former administrative assistant for the Katy Area Economic Development Council (KAEDC), has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Medrano, who also went by the alias Janet Jackson, pleaded guilty to the charges on December 12, 2023. U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison handed down the sentence, which will be followed by three years of supervised release. Medrano was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $281,489.91.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Ellison noted that this was not an appropriate case for leniency. Medrano attempted to excuse her conduct by claiming she had difficulty providing for her family. However, Judge Ellison dismissed the claim, stating that he had heard from thousands of individuals with much more desperate financial situations.

From 2014 to 2019, Medrano worked as an administrative assistant for KAEDC. Beginning in 2016 until her termination in 2019, Medrano stole from the organization using four different schemes. When KAEDC confronted Medrano, she attempted to hide her crime by providing altered bank statements to cover the ongoing theft.

Further investigation revealed that Medrano was not telling the truth and had stolen over $280,000 from KAEDC. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Lu prosecuted the case.

Medrano was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The sentence is a harsh reminder of the consequences of corporate theft and the devastating impact it can have on non-profit organizations and their stakeholders.