DALLAS — A former Dallas Housing Authority maintenance supervisor has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme that federal officials say stole nearly half a million dollars in public housing funds.
Joel Ipina, 50, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to theft concerning programs receiving government funds, according to federal court records. U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle sentenced him on May 21 and ordered him to pay $473,641 in restitution.
Federal prosecutors said Ipina worked for the Dallas Housing Authority from 1995 to 2024, where he approved maintenance work orders and selected contractors for projects funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Prosecutors said that between August 2019 and February 2024, Ipina directed contracts to a company he owned and controlled. They said he submitted falsified competing bids to ensure his company received contracts and arranged payment for work that was not completed.
Investigators said the scheme diverted public housing funds intended for services for residents and undermined fair competition among contractors.
Officials with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
