A grand jury Friday indicted a former Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority property manager on charges he stole tenants' rent money.
Dion Crockett allegedly told residents at CMHA complex The Evanston to make out money orders to him instead of paying their rent through an online portal. Crockett was onsite manager for CMHA affiliate Touchstone Property Solutions at the time.
According to the indictment, Crockett then pocketed the money. More than 50 residents have received lease termination notices due to the alleged theft.
Tenant Marvin Barnes first told Cincinnati Council about the situation in January. He said he didn't know for months that what Crockett was doing was improper.
"I was new as a tenant and so I had no other choice but to follow what my property manager was telling me to do," he said. "There are several other tenants this has been done to."
Some tenants, including Barnes, have filed a lawsuit against CMHA claiming the housing authority has violated their rights.
Hamilton County Judge Wende C. Cross on May 8 issued a temporary injunction in response to the lawsuit preventing CMHA from enforcing those lease terminations and evicting the residents of The Evanston.
CMHA says they're investigating Crockett's actions. The housing authority declined to comment on the litigation, but it said it is meeting with tenants now to work out their situations.
"If an individual doesn’t pay current or past rent, a 30-day notice is sent alerting him/her and sharing the options to assist them," CMHA said in a statement. "These notices that were delivered at the beginning of April were to provide the individuals an opportunity to correct the situation or come and speak to property management about their situation. We have had specific times set aside for residents to meet with property management to discuss their account delinquency, the current/past payment due, or a payment plan."
CMHA says it has met with 48 of the 58 residents who received the lease termination notices. The housing authority says 15 have filed police reports and 11 have had their accounts credited so far.
Crockett is charged with one count of theft in office, three counts of theft, one count of unauthorized use of property, one count of forgery, and one count of tampering with records. He faces up to 10.5 years in prison if convicted. Cincinnati Police are continuing to investigate.
“Public housing exists to provide safe, stable homes for families who need it most,” Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said in a statement announcing the indictment. “When someone entrusted with managing those properties is accused of stealing rent payments the harm goes far beyond dollars and cents. It undermines trust and places an unfair burden on residents who did exactly what they were supposed to do. My office will hold accountable anyone who abuses a position of public trust for personal gain.”
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