The former executive director of the Whitefish Housing Authority has been sentenced for embezzling funds from the organization. Dwarne Lamont Hawkins, 46, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, received a sentence of four months in prison and four months of home confinement. This will be followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, Hawkins was ordered to pay $144,842 in restitution.
Hawkins pleaded guilty in October 2024 to theft from an organization receiving federal funding. The case was presided over by U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy. As part of his sentence, Hawkins must also perform 200 hours of community service and is allowed to self-report to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The government's allegations state that between May 2023 and January 2024, while serving as the executive director of the Whitefish Housing Authority, Hawkins embezzled funds intended for low-income housing in Whitefish. During this period, the authority received approximately $468,616 in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Hawkins diverted money through inflated payrolls, personal expenses charged to the organization's credit card, and fraudulent invoices paid to businesses he controlled.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case with assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General which conducted the investigation.
