Second ex-employee pleads guilty in housing scam

TAMPA -- A second former Tampa Housing Authority employee has pleaded guilty to stealing federal grant money, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced today.

Carlton Miles, 38, of Tampa, faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

Miles worked as a Section 8 counselor for the Housing Authority from May 2003 to 2004, a period in which he recruited family and friends to serve as fake landlords so they could receive U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development money.

The Housing Authority receives thousands of dollars each year from HUD to subsidize housing for low-income families, the elderly and disabled individuals. Landlords who participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program receive grant money in exchange for reducing rent for qualified tenants.

Miles and others conspired to place bogus landlord names into the Housing Authority's database to embezzle money.

Prosecutors said Miles recruited four men in the scheme: Jeffery Larkins, 41, Joenathan Haile, 39, Jonathan Denson, 34, and Brian Montgomery, 37. Those four already have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal government funds.

Miles and the four men stole more than $114,000, prosecutors said.

A December 2007 indictment named 11 people as part of the conspiracy. Miles is the seventh person and the second among three Housing Authority employees involved to plead guilty.

- Kevin Graham, Times staff writer