Killeen Housing Authority
Outcome
Former Killeen Housing Authority Executive Director Deadra Johnson was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $297,473.30 in restitution for embezzling federal HUD funds to pay personal expenses including rent, utilities, vehicle purchases, and airline tickets.
Details
Killeen Housing Authority — Executive Director Embezzlement (2022–2024)
Outcome: Deadra Johnson, former Executive Director of the Killeen Housing Authority, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $297,473.30 in restitution after pleading guilty to theft of federal government property.
Johnson was arrested on January 17, 2024, and charged with theft of government property. She pleaded guilty on February 11, 2025. U.S. District Judge David Counts sentenced her to 37 months in federal prison in November 2025.
While serving as Executive Director of the Killeen Housing Authority — a federally funded public housing agency in central Texas — Johnson fraudulently obtained housing authority funds and used them to pay for her personal expenses. These included rent, utilities, auto maintenance, internet service, airline tickets, furniture, and the purchase of a new vehicle. To conceal her actions, Johnson developed multiple kickback schemes through which she funneled housing authority money to cover personal costs.
The case was investigated by HUD's Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas. The total loss to the federally funded housing authority was $297,473.30.
Primary Source: Former Killeen Housing Authority Executive Sentenced to Federal Prison
How Crucible Prevents This
Crucible's financial oversight controls would have flagged the executive director's use of housing authority funds for non-housing expenses. A vendor payment review hook scanning payee categories against approved expense types would have detected rent, airline, and furniture payments. A kickback-scheme detection protocol would have surfaced the multiple schemes Johnson used to conceal her theft.
Don't let this happen to your organization. See how Crucible works.
See How Crucible Works