Las Vegas Review-Journal: Last defendant in massive HOA scheme sentenced to prison

By Jeff German
January 5, 2016

The last defendant in the long-running investigation into the scheme to take over and defraud homeowners associations was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday.

Stephanie Markham, 57, who now lives in New York, was ordered to serve 15 months behind bars and spend three years on supervised release after prison for lying about her role in the massive scheme.

U.S. District Judge James Mahan also ordered Markham to perform 100 hours of community service.

Her sentencing officially ends the largest public corruption case federal authorities have brought in Southern Nevada. More than 40 defendants, including lawyers and former police officers, either pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial.

The high-profile case, which lasted more than eight years and led to several deaths, was overseen by the Justice Department’s Fraud Section in Washington. The investigation became public in September 2008 when the FBI, Las Vegas police and IRS conducted raids across the valley.

Justice Department prosecutor Alison Anderson sought a 21-month prison term for Markham on Tuesday, arguing she was “totally involved” in the takeover conspiracy and repeatedly lied to authorities.

But after pleas for leniency from Markham and her lawyer, Robert Langford, Mahan handed down the lighter sentence. Read more:

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/last-defendant-massive-hoa-scheme-sentenced-prison