Wednesday, September 1, 2010

RICHMOND CTY., Ga. – The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office assisted GBI along with HUD Special Agents in serving arrest warrants for charges related to fraudulently obtaining federal funding for the Section 8 Housing Choice program.

GBI obtained the arrest warrants after evidence was uncovered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and HUD’s Office of the Inspector General. Known as Operation Clean House, warrants were issued for 80 individuals. So far, 54 arrests have been made.

According to GBI, a person who receives housing benefits which they are not entitled to under the law is stealing tax payers’ money. The fraud involved in these cases totaled approximately $1.1 million, which is money that could be ordered returned to the program during prosecution.

So far, six people have been arrested in Richmond County. Joyce Ann Baker, Shanta Gilyard, Artis Lakay Hill, Latonya Maria Hunt, Tilvosiet Melody Ryans, and Katrina Chiantia Smalley have all been booked into the Richmond County Jail.