Ex-Whitefish Housing Authority executive director admits to embezzlment

MISSOULA — The former executive director of the Whitefish Housing Authority admitted to embezzling at least $100,000 from the organization on Wednesday.

The defendant, Dwarne Lamont Hawkins, 46, pleaded guilty to theft from an organization receiving federal funding, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Hawkins faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

The government alleged in court documents that from about May 2023 to January 2024 — while working as the executive director for the Whitefish Housing Authority — Hawkins embezzled from the organization.

The Whitefish Housing Authority received approximately $468,616 in federal funds from HUD during the period of the indictment.

Hawkins stole housing authority money by diverting and inflating payroll, fraudulently paying personal expenses with the Whitefish Housing Authority credit card and creating and paying fraudulent invoices to businesses over which he had control, a news release states.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for Feb. 7, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case which was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General.