Former Worcester Housing Official Facing Years In Prison: Feds

WORCESTER, MA — A former Worcester Housing Development Office official is facing a long federal prison sentence after her conviction on fraud charges this week, according to federal prosecutors.

A jury this week found Jacklyn Sutcivni, 47, of Dracut, guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the federal government and false claims. According to prosecutors, she helped funnel millions in federal funds to a Natick developer for work on a multifamily property that never occurred.

That developer, James Levin, pleaded guilty in September 2020 and was sentenced in March to three years in federal prison, three years of supervised release and to forfeit nearly $2 million.

Prosecutors said Levin took $2.36 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Neighborhood Stabilization Program to rehab an apartment building at 5 May St.

Sutcivni is set to be sentenced in December. The conspiracy and wire fraud charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and the charge of defrauding the federal government carries a 10-year maximum penalty, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors will also ask Sutcivni to forfeit over $2.3 million, according to a news release.