Federal Prison For Former Dallas Housing Nonprofit Executive
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — A former executive with a Dallas County nonprofit housing agency created in 1965 to combat poverty must serve five years in federal prison for defrauding homeowners.
Prosecutors say 46-year-old Francisco Javier Gonzalez of Duncanville must also pay more than $610,000 in restitution. Gonzalez pleaded guilty last year to mail fraud and was sentenced this week.
Authorities say Gonzalez, as vice president of the Dallas County Community Action Committee, was supposed to help individuals get mortgages and prevent foreclosures.
After falsely claiming that he was certified by he Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide foreclosure counseling assistance, prosecutors say Gonzalez instead required some victims to pay him lump sums for his help and to make their mortgage payments directly to him, instead of to a financial institution.
Gonzalez spent the money on himself and for other personal expenses. Victims included homeowners, banks and HUD.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)