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Former Morgan City Housing Authority Director and Employee Plead Guilty to Conspiracy Charge
LAFAYETTE, La. – In a shocking turn of events, Charles E. Spann, 78, of Kingsport, Tenn., and Tori D. Johnson, 38, of Morgan City, La., pleaded guilty to charges related to the theft of more than half a million dollars.
According to the guilty plea, Spann, Johnson, and two other Morgan City Housing Authority employees received $514,764.14 in bonus payments to which they were not entitled from 2007 to 2013. The one-time bonus was granted in 2007 for work performed in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
However, after the one-time bonuses were sent to all employees of the housing authority, Johnson requested from Spann that she, Spann, and two other employees continue to receive bonuses. Johnson wrote false justifications for the bonuses, and Spann signed off on them.
The bonuses were not approved by the civil service board or the Morgan City Housing Authority Board of Directors. Spann received $111,657.47, and Johnson received $100,040.23 to which they were not entitled.
The defendants face five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and restitution. A sentencing date of June 27, 2016 was set for Spann and Johnson.
The U.S. Office of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Investigations, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly P. Uebinger and Robert F. Moore are prosecuting the case.
The case highlights the need for greater oversight and transparency in government agencies, particularly those responsible for distributing public funds.
Spann and Johnson’s guilty plea serves as a reminder that public officials will be held accountable for their actions.
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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