Housing authority workers get prison time Two wrote checks to selves with rental assistance funds BY BRIAN DONAHUE Staff Writer Two former administrators of the Old Bridge Township Housing Authority were each sentenced to three years in state prison last week for stealing a combined $91,000 from rental assistance programs. Colleen Middleton, 33, of Old Bridge, and Frances Portlock, 50, of Mays Landing, who both pleaded guilty in December to charges of second-degree official misconduct, will also have to pay full restitution to the rental assistance programs, according to the sentence handed down by state Superior Court Judge Frederick P. DeVesa in New Brunswick Feb. 23. The sentence also bars both women from ever holding public employment in New Jersey again. Middleton, who worked as Old Bridge's Section 8 coordinator, admitted to stealing $77,570, between January 2002 and March 2006, including about $47,900 from the HOPE Loan Program, which is municipally funded and provides financial assistance to Old Bridge residents threatened with eviction. Middleton also admitted to taking $29,670 from the federally funded Section 8 rental assistance program, according to information provided by the state Office of the Attorney General. Portlock, who was director of operations for the South Amboy Housing Authority, oversaw the Old Bridge rental assistance programs because the Old Bridge Housing Authority contracted with South Amboy's to run its programs. She supervised Middleton in Old Bridge. Portlock admitted to stealing approximately $13,400 from the Hope Loan Program between August 2002 and December 2005. "Time after time, these two officials issued checks to themselves from this rental assistance program, stealing funds that were supposed to help low-income families," Attorney General Stuart Rabner said in a statement. "Prison is the appropriate punishment." 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. Authorities said both Middleton and Portlock had access to checks from the accounts, as well as the signature stamps. The two women would write the checks either payable to themselves or to "cash." In total, 116 checks went to Middleton, while 15 went to Portlock, authorities said. The directors of both housing authorities alerted the Old Bridge Police Department in March 2006 after finding evidence that funds had been misappropriated, and the township police ultimately referred the case to the state Division of Criminal Justice. Middleton was terminated from her position with the housing authority that March due to the theft allegations. Portlock, who had resigned in December 2005 to take a job as executive director of the Vineland Housing Authority, was terminated from that job in April because of the allegations in Old Bridge. The two were indicted separately in June. They are the fourth and fifth employees affiliated with Old Bridge government to plead guilty to corruption charges in the past two years. The prior three were employees of the township's engineering and construction offices. Old Bridge Mayor Jim Phillips, who took office in January 2004, said he and his administration "have worked and will continue to work with all levels of law enforcement to clean up corruption in Old Bridge." He said the sentences of Middleton and Portlock are further evidence that misconduct will result in prosecution. "I hope that today's sentencing serves as a warning to all those who may be tempted to abuse their public position," he said. Phillips complimented the township's police for the manner in which it initiated the investigation into the housing authority officials. The Attorney General's Office has established a toll-free tip line for the public to report corruption, financial crime or other illegal activities. The number is 1-866-TIPS-4CJ.