HUSBAND AND WIFE SENTENCED FOR STEALING MONEY FROM FEDERAL HOUSING PROGRAM
LAWRENCE WILSON, age 43, and PEGGY BOUDREAUX WILSON, age 46, residents of Waggaman, Louisiana, were sentenced today by U. S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt for having conspired to steal $43,731.00 of government funds relative to a federal housing voucher program, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten. PEGGY WILSON was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment with 3 years supervised release following release from prison. LAWRENCE WILSON was sentenced to five years probation with six months home incarceration.
According to the court documents, on November 1, 1999, the Jefferson Parish Housing Authority (JPHA) awarded PEGGY BOUDREAUX WILSON, then known as Peggy Boudreaux, rental assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher Program, a federally funded housing program assisting low-income citizens with rental payments, for a property located on Herman Street in Waggaman, Louisiana. On or about February 17, 2001, PEGGY BOUDREAUX WILSON married LAWRENCE WILSON. Despite her marriage, PEGGY BOUDREAUX WILSON continued to represent herself to the JPHA as Peggy Boudreaux and did not divulge to the JPHA that after she and LAWRENCE WILSON were married he moved into the residence at 168 Herman Street thereby increasing the annual income for her household.
On or about April 6, 2005, LAWRENCE WILSON purchased the residence at 168 Herman Street and received financing from a bank. However, instead of informing the JPHA of the change in circumstances, PEGGY BOUDREAUX WILSON and LAWRENCE WILSON represented to JPHA that LAWRENCE WILSON was “Peggy Boudreaux’s” landlord. PEGGY BOUDREAUX WILSON and LAWRENCE WILSON signed landlord information forms and submitted them to JPHA indicating that “Peggy Boudreaux” and her son were the only tenants. Until September 28, 2010, the WILSONs concealed that LAWRENCE WILSON did not rent to PEGGY BOUDREAUX WILSON, but that he owned the house and lived there with her.
The husband and wife pled guilty on November 30, 2011 and as part of the sentence imposed today must repay the Jefferson Parish Housing Authority $43,731.00.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development–OIG with assistance from the United States Department of Homeland Security-OIG. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Greenfield.
