FORMER HOUSING DIR/HUSBAND TO FEDERAL PRISON.

ACCORDING  TO  THE  U.S. ATTORNEY’S  OFFICE FORMER THOMASTON  HOUSING  AUTHORITY  EXECUTIVE    DIRECTOR    DARLENE  MCDANIEL AND  HER  HUSBAND, LANCE  MCDANIEL WERE  SENTENCED  TO  FEDERAL PRISON  TUESDAY  FOR CONSPIRING  TO   STEAL  GOVERNMENT  MONEY.

DARLENE  MCDANIEL  MUST   SERVE   41  MONTHS IN  FEDERAL  PRISON, WHILE  HER  HUSBAND  LANCE  MCDANIEL  WAS  SENTENCED  TO  33  MONTHS  BY  A  FEDERAL  JUDGE IN MACON.

CHARGES  WERE  DISMISSED   AGAINST   STEVEN  WAYNE  WILLIAMS,, WHO INITIALLY  ALSO  WAS  INDICTED—DUE  TO  A  LACK  OF  EVIDENCE.

THE  U.S. ATTORNEYS  OFFICE  SAID  DARLENE  MCDANIEL WAS  ACCUSED OF  HONORING CONTRACTS,  WHILE  SERVING AS  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WITH  STEVE  WILLIAMS  PAINTING   CONTRACTOR.  THE  COMPANY  EMPLOYED  HER  HUSBAND AS  A  FULL-TIME  EMPLOYEE  PERFORMING  WORK  FOR  THE  HOUSING  AUTHORITY, BUT THE  U.S. ATTORNEY  SAID  THE  HOUSING  AUTHORITY  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS  DID  NOT  AUTHORIZE  THE  CONTRACTS.

THOMASTON  MAYOR  HAYS  ARNOLD  HAS  ANNOUNCED   THE  ENTIRE  BOARD  OF  THE  HOUSING  AUTHORITY  IS  BEING  REPLACED, AS A  RESULT.