NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Debbie Norris Woodell, 64, to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to commit federal program theft. Woodell was also ordered to repay $238,448 to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Woodell became the Executive Director of the Dunn Housing Authority (DHA) in 2014. DHA is a federally funded agency that provides affordable housing to qualifying low‑income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities in Dunn, North Carolina.
Between 2016 and 2021, Woodell exploited her position, working with others to steal more than $200,000 from DHA. As part of the scheme, she issued checks from DHA accounts to co‑conspirators for unapproved landscaping and maintenance work that they never ever started. She funneled most of the money back to her personal use…