Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Hector Colon, a former superintendent for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), has been sentenced to 18 months in prison. Colon was found guilty of soliciting and accepting approximately $30,000 in bribes from contractors in exchange for awarding repair contracts or approving repair work valued at about $400,000. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman imposed the sentence after presiding over a one-week trial where Colon was convicted of bribery and extortion under color of official right.
"Hector Colon abused his position at NYCHA to demand bribes from contractors for his personal gain," stated U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. "The women and men of this Office are committed to pursuing those who abuse the public’s trust."
NYCHA is recognized as the largest public housing authority in the nation, receiving over $1.5 billion annually from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The organization often requires outside contractors for repairs or construction work, which typically involves a bidding process unless contract values fall below a specific threshold. In such cases, designated staff like superintendents can select contractors without multiple bids but must certify satisfactory completion before payment.
Between 2018 and 2022, Colon served as superintendent at three different NYCHA developments in Manhattan. During this period, he demanded cash payments from contractors either to award contracts or approve completed work so that payments could be processed by NYCHA. His demands typically equated to 10% of contract values—ranging between $500 and $1,000 depending on contract size—resulting in approximately $30,000 in bribes linked to contracts worth around $400,000.
Of 70 NYCHA employees charged with similar offenses following arrests in February 2024, 62 have pled guilty while three were convicted after trial; Colon is now the second among them to receive sentencing.
In addition to his prison term, Colon will undergo two years of supervised release and must pay restitution and forfeiture totaling $30,000 each.
Mr. Clayton acknowledged contributions from several investigative bodies including the New York City Department of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), emphasizing their collaboration within HSI's Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force.
This case forms part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation aimed at dismantling criminal organizations through a multi-agency approach led by prosecutors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob R. Fiddelman, Catherine Ghosh, Jane Kim, Jerry J. Fang, Meredith C. Foster handled prosecution efforts alongside Paralegal Specialists Jayda Foote and Shirel Garzon.
