Two guilty in theft from housing authority Former employees took money from assistance programs BY BRIAN DONAHUE Staff Writer Two former housing authority employees in Old Bridge and South Amboy have pleaded guilty to stealing a total of $91,000 from two publicly funded rental assistance programs. Colleen Middleton, 33, of Old Bridge, the former Section 8 coordinator for the Old Bridge Township Housing Authority, and Frances Portlock, 50, of Mays Landing, the former director of operations for the South Amboy Housing Authority, pleaded guilty to second-degree official misconduct Friday before state Superior Court Judge Frederick P. DeVesa in New Brunswick. Under the plea agreement, the women face up to five years in prison and must pay full restitution to the rental assistance programs. Both will be barred from ever holding public employment in New Jersey. Middleton and Portlock — who worked together because the Old Bridge Housing Authority contracts with the South Amboy agency to run its programs — were charged in separate indictments returned by a state grand jury on June 21. Sentencing for both is scheduled for Feb. 23. “These two defendants are facing prison time because they shamelessly abused the trust placed in them as public officials, stealing funds intended to help low-income families pay the rent,” New Jersey Attorney General Stuart Rabner said in a statement. “We’re devoting enhanced resources to root out this type of public corruption.” The women “essentially used the assistance programs they administered as personal bank accounts,” Division of Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw said. Middleton took money in the form of 116 checks issued by the housing authority in Old Bridge, while Portlock was the recipient of 15 checks from the South Amboy agency. In pleading guilty, Middleton admitted that she stole approximately $77,570 between January 2002 and March 2006, including about $47,900 from the HOPE Loan Program — a municipally funded program that provides financial assistance to Old Bridge residents threatened with eviction — and about $29,670 from the federally funded Section 8 rental assistance program, according to the attorney general’s office. Portlock, who oversaw the Old Bridge rental assistance programs and supervised Middleton, admitted that she stole approximately $13,400 between August 2002 and December 2005 from the HOPE Loan Program. Portlock’s responsibilities included reviewing and approving checks to be paid out of the rental assistance program accounts. Checks to recipients of program funds were stamped with the signatures of housing officials. In connection with their official duties, both Middleton and Portlock had access to checks from the accounts and the signature stamps. The checks were made out in the names of the defendants or to “cash,” authorities said. Old Bridge Mayor Jim Phillips said the women’s actions represented “thievery of the worst kind.” “They were taking money out of the hands of the people who need it the most,” he said. “They should know better. These are people they would deal with every day, people who are at the end of their ropes, who come into their office looking for help.” The investigation began after the directors of both housing authorities alerted the Old Bridge Police Department in March after finding evidence that funds had been misappropriated. Old Bridge police ultimately referred the case to the state Division of Criminal Justice. Portlock resigned in December 2005 to take a job as executive director of the Vineland Housing Authority; however, she was terminated from that job in April because of the theft allegations. Middleton was terminated from her job at the Old Bridge Township Housing Authority on March 9. Phillips said he believes improvements have since been made at the Old Bridge Housing Authority, with new checks and balances put into place. But he said township officials were advised not to become involved until the criminal allegations were fully adjudicated. Township Business Administrator Michael Jacobs will ultimately make recommendations for changes at the agency, Phillips said. The crimes are just the latest to be uncovered in Old Bridge government. In February, former township engineer John Vincenti and former construction official Ronald Concannon were sentenced to fines and probation on corruption charges, and in March former township engineering inspector Barry Bowers was given seven years in prison for accepting favors from a developer. Phillips, noting that none of the five officials were hired during his term as mayor, said he sees a big difference between the first three officials charged and the last two from the housing authorities. “Before, we had a situation of corruption, and we worked with the attorney general’s office in finding the people who were corrupt and who were abusing their offices and positions of authority,” he said. “This [housing authority] situation is a lot worse and blatant. These are people who were stealing from poor people. This was blatant theft.” Deputy Attorney General Perry Primavera handled the housing authorities case for the state, and the investigation was conducted by state Investigator Dino Dettorre and Old Bridge Police Detective Thomas Noble, with assistance from both housing authorities.