KILLEEN, Texas — A City of Austin employee is facing federal embezzlement charges for crimes she is accused of committing when she worked as the executive director of the Killeen Housing Authority (KHA).
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said DeAdra Johnson allegedly stole thousands of dollars designated for KHA programs and used them for personal use. A federal indictment accuses Johnson of using the stolen funds to pay for personal vehicle down payments, vehicle repairs and loan payments, monthly rent, home furniture purchases, electricity and internet service bills and plane tickets for personal travel.
KVUE's sister station, KCEN, reports that Johnson is accused of embezzling nearly $70,000 in federal funds.
The DOJ said the KHA is now defunct, but it previously managed more than 50 public housing units and administered housing programs that allowed low-income families to lease or purchase affordable housing. The KHA had an annual contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), through which it received several hundred thousand dollars each year.
KCEN reports that Johnson was the executive director of the KHA from Jan. 10, 2019, to Aug. 1, 2022.
Johnson is charged with nine counts of theft of government property and one count of false statement. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison for each theft of government property charge and up to five years for the false statement charge.
The DOJ said the HUD's Office of Inspector General and the FBI are investigating the case.
KVUE reached out to the City of Austin to inquire about Johnson's current employment with the City. We received the following statement:
"We are aware that the employee has been indicted on charges related to her former employer. As a fair chance employer, the City addresses these types of situations on a case-by-case basis. As soon as the City is made aware of the situation, we conduct an investigation. As part of that investigation, we consider whether or not the charges have any relation or impact on the employee’s ability to perform their job with the City of Austin.
In this case, the employee is a project coordinator and does not handle any funds. She was hired August 2022 and currently remains employed with the City."
