Defendants found guilty in embezzlement from South Bend Housing Authority
UPDATE: A Federal judge overruled objections in the pre-sentencing report for Albert Smith in his role in the South Bend Housing Authority fraud case.
Smith was convicted of 10 counts relating to a conspiracy he and his co-conspirators orchestrated to defraud the housing authority. Since the ruling, he's filed several objections, but a judge has overruled almost every one.
The judge has reset Albert Smith's sentencing for July 2 at 10 a.m.
He's the final defendant to be sentenced for the Housing Authority crimes
ORIGINAL:
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. - A guilty verdict was handed down to all three defendants in the federal trial over embezzlement from the South Bend Housing Authority.
The jury deliberated for three and a half hours before convicting Tonya Robinson, Albert Smith, and Douglas Donley of conspiracy to commit wire or bank fraud, and at least one count each of fraud.
Smith was able to sneak out the back door of the courthouse but ABC57 caught Robinson as she left, though she declined to make a statement.
The guilty verdict officially convicts the three defendants of embezzling millions from the Housing Authority and gambling it away.
The judge in the case said he wants to sentence all three separately.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 29, 2024.
Click here for more of our coverage of the case.