Former housing official gets one year in prison

BRADENTON — Former Bradenton Housing Authority Director Wenston DeSue has been sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for theft of federal funds.

DeSue, 44, of Bradenton, previously pleaded guilty to the charges, where authorities say he spent hundreds of hours on the clock doing a variety of personal and non-work activities. As part of the sentence, U.S. District Judge Susan Bucklew entered a forfeiture judgment for $276,300, the proceeds of DeSue's theft, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Bucklew also ordered him to pay the same amount in restitution to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

DeSue, according to prosecutors, took extended multi-hour lunches, ran personal errands during the work day and left early from the BHA — all without taking some form of leave. On some days, DeSue failed to show up for work at all and collected payment from the BHA as if he had been at work, authorities contended.

DeSue's actions took place from Jan. 1, 2006 through Sept. 19, 2013. Bradenton city officials oversee the BHA, but the charge is a federal offense because the agency receives at least $10,000 a year from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Authorities say in total DeSue stole and converted to his own use $204,756 from the BHA by taking salary, benefits and bonuses he didn't earn. He also stole another $71,543 by cashing out unused annual and sick leave, which he should have otherwise used while spending work hours attending to personal affairs. The total BHA loss, prosecutors contend, is $276,300.

A co-defendant in the case, former BHA project director Stephany West, pleaded guilty to theft of federal funds March 20.