Former Georgia housing director sentenced after admitting role in fake contract scheme
Four people have pleaded guilty in DeKalb County to defrauding the State of Georgia out of nearly $200,000 through fake contracts tied to housing services, according to the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office.
District Attorney Sherry Boston announced the convictions Tuesday, saying the defendants used two separate schemes to trick the Georgia Department of Community Affairs into paying for work that was unnecessary or never completed.
The most recent plea came on Monday, Jan. 12, when Corey Alston, 48, admitted guilt to violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly known as RICO. Prosecutors said Alston played a key role in deceiving DCA.
DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Courtney L. Johnson sentenced Alston to 20 years, with three years to be served in custody. As part of his sentence, Alston is barred from working for any government agency or holding any job that would give him access to public money. He was also ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution to the state. Alston's sentence will run at the same time as a federal prison sentence in an unrelated case.
Another defendant, Quinton Tate, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the state. Judge Johnson sentenced Tate to five years of probation, a $5,000 fine, and 250 hours of community service. Tate is also prohibited from working with any government entity, contracting with the government, participating in any U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs, or handling public funds. If he completes probation, he will be treated as a first offender under Georgia law.
Alston and Tate were the last of four people charged in the case to enter guilty pleas. The other defendants were Toyoa Andrews, 52, and Shawn Williams, 62.
According to investigators, Williams served as the director of DCA's Housing Assistance Division from 2017 to 2019. The division was responsible for helping Georgians find safe and affordable housing. Andrews, who is Williams' cousin, also worked at DCA and reported directly to Williams.
Prosecutors said Williams and Andrews approved a cleaning contract for a DCA satellite office with a company owned by Andrews. From 2017 to 2019, DCA paid more than $64,000 to that company, even though the building's landlord was already providing cleaning services.
A second scheme unfolded in 2019, when DCA began looking for a vendor to develop an online tool for the agency. After the state rejected Alston's company as an authorized vendor, investigators said Alston, Andrews, and Tate agreed to submit the work under Tate's company instead.
Andrews later sent invoices from Tate's company totaling $120,000. Prosecutors said DCA leadership approved and paid those invoices after Andrews and Williams claimed the online service had been completed and was in use. Investigators determined the online tool was never created.
Shawn Williams pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2025, to one count of violating the RICO Act. Judge Johnson sentenced her to 15 years of probation, 400 hours of community service, and ordered her to pay $104,170 in restitution. Williams is also barred from holding any job that would give her access to public funds. She was selected as the CEO of the Greenville Housing Authority in South Carolina in 2020 and placed on leave in 2023 after being indicted by the Dekalb County Grand Jury.
On the same day, Toyoa Andrews entered a non-negotiated guilty plea to one count of violating the RICO Act. She was sentenced to 20 years, with two years in custody. That custodial sentence will be suspended if she pays $50,000 in restitution, completes 500 hours of community service, and meets other conditions, including a ban on government employment or access to public funds. Andrews was also fined $10,000.
The case was handled by the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office Anti-Corruption Unit. The Office of the Inspector General led the initial investigation.