Guilty Plea in Katrina Home Repair Case

A contractor has pleaded guilty in federal court in a plot to steal federal grant funds earmarked for a Hurricane Katrina home repair program operated by a New Orleans city agency.

Richard Hall of Harvey pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal conspiracy count, along with a count of theft from a program receiving federal funds. Hall was among five contractors indicted in March in the case involving “New Orleans Affordable Homeownership,” an agency that received federal funds for gutting homes after Katrina hit in 2005. Prosecutors say he collected thousands of dollars for work never done. He was the last of the five to plead guilty.

Sentencing was set for Oct. 30 and Hall could get up to 15 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.