Former Executive Director of Stanford Housing Authority Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Federal Funding Theft
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Junction City, Ky., woman, Ashley Nicole Lear, 43, was sentenced on Wednesday to 13 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Chad Merdith for three counts of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.
According to her plea agreement, Lear engaged in multiple acts of financial misconduct during her tenure as Executive Director of Stanford Housing Authority (SHA) in Lincoln County. From July 2023 to March 2025, Lear, whose contracted salary was $58,000, paid herself unauthorized bonuses and inflated her salary. Investigators found that Lear provided forged board meeting minutes to auditors to support the falsified salary increases and bonuses.
Lear also used SHA’s credit card for personal purchases including restaurant bills, salon services, retail shopping, travel accommodations, and concert tickets. She also used the agency’s vehicle for personal travel. Specific incidents detailed in the charges include unauthorized wire transfers from SHA’s bank account to her personal Chime account which were labeled as bonuses and using the SHA credit card at a tanning salon. During the period of the misconduct, SHA received more than $10,000 in federal funds, including a $138,528 payment from HUD Treasury. Lear embezzled or misapplied more than $5,000 in SHA property while serving as an agent of the federally funded organization.
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