Ex-housing authority staffer sentenced for theft in N.J.

A former Atlantic City Housing Authority staffer is headed to prison for stealing nearly $290,000 through a scheme in which he created and paid fraudulent contractors and invoices.

Brian Lewis of Pleasantville received a five-year sentence Friday. The 42-year-old Lewis had pleaded guilty in April to numerous charges, including official misconduct and theft, in a plea deal with Atlantic County prosecutors.

While working as an assistant buyer, authorities say Lewis used his position to access work orders and contracts for construction and home repair work at a public housing complex. He created shell companies and billed the authority for work already done by other firms, then collected duplicate payments.

Lewis also awarded his own businesses contracts for construction and repair work, then failed to do the work despite being paid.