By Abigail Roberts
The executive director of the Stanford Housing Authority has been indicted by a federal grand jury on 14 felony counts, according to court records filed Feb. 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Ashley Nicole Lear was indicted on 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government funds.
According to the indictment, the Stanford Housing Authority received benefits in excess of $10,000 through federal programs, grants, subsidies or other federal assistance and therefore was subject to review by the federal government.
Between July 1, 2023 and March 21, 2025, the indictment states Lear “devised and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud and to obtain money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses.”
Lear allegedly forged minutes from the Stanford Housing Authority board meeting minutes from a Jan. 16, 2024 meeting, giving herself a raise and monthly year-end bonuses.
“Lear transferred money from the Stanford Housing Authority’s checking account to a Chime account, in her own name, for unauthorized ‘bonuses’ and in excess of her contract salary,” the indictment states.
She also used the Stanford Housing Authority’s credit card for her personal use and then used funds from the housing authority’s checking account to pay the credit card bills.
Penalties for the wire fraud counts carry a maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Penalty for the theft of government funds carries up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000 as well.
The federal government is also requesting forfeiture of proceeds connected to the crimes, as well as a monetary judgement for the total gained through the theft.
Lear is set to appear in court March 2.
