ST. GEORGE, Utah — A Utah woman was sentenced to home detention and probation on Monday after stealing from the HOA and putting the money in her own pockets.
Sharon Lee Ann Gordon, 66, of Hurricane, was sentenced Monday, April 8, to 12 months and one day of home detention, and three years’ probation after pleading guilty to stealing more than $230,000 from an HOA during her time as the HOA Treasurer, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Additionally, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby reportedly ordered Gordon to pay the remaining $63,448.32 in restitution to the HOA and $20,490 in restitution to the IRS for tax loss for unreported income.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Gordon embezzled more than $232,000 from four Lava Bluff HOA bank accounts between 2016 and March 2022.
In execution of the scheme, the DOJ said Gordon reportedly diverted the funds electronically by transferring them directly to her personal account, writing checks to herself and her boyfriend and forging other board members’ signatures, depositing checks representing HOA member fees directly into her personal accounts, writing checks to casinos from HOA accounts, and withdrawing cash from HOA accounts. Additionally, Gordon falsely reported to the Internal Revenue Service her total income from 2017 through 2021, the DOJ said.
U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah called Gordon “greedy,” saying she abused her HOA position of power.
Additionally, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick said American tax-payers as a whole were victimized by Gordon.
“Gordon believed that she could shirk her responsibility to her community as well as to the American tax system,” Messick said.
Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI commented as well, saying money designed for the community’s management went to line Gordon’s pockets instead.
“This case should serve as an example that fraud never pays,” Sinha said
