Former head of Habitat for Humanity charged with stealing

CONWAY, AR - The former executive director of the Faulkner County Habitat for Humanity is charged with stealing from the non-profit organization.

52-year-old Patricia Hoskins is accused of using the non-profit's money for her own personal use.
According to the Faulkner County Prosecutor Cody Hiland, Hoskins made hundreds of dollars worth of unauthorized purchases at Lowe's and Sherwin Williams in Conway for her own personal home improvements. "Anytime you're dealing with a non-profit organization, you're disappointed when these sorts of things happen."

Hoskins is also charged with using the organizations credit card for manicures, pedicures, and financial investment tools. According to the affidavit, Hoskins admitted to the charges because she felt the organization owed her that money because of all her hard work.

FOX 16 tried to contact the organization, but the Faulkner County Habitat for Humanity office was closed and no one answered the phone.

No one answered the door at Hoskins last known address, but an attorney for Hoskins has no comment on the charges. There is a warrant out for her arrest, but Conway Police believe Hoskins left the state.

The 2 charges of theft of property and fraudulent use of a credit card against Hoskins are misdemeanor charges. She could face up to one year in jail and a fine of $1,000.

Hiland says the charges should be felonies. "In the past the threshold was $500. Anything over that was a felony, but due to Act 570, that's moved from $500 to $1,000, so this didn't quite meet that threshold. That's why misdemeanor charges were filed instead of felony charges."

Conway Police say Hoskins used the Habitat for Humanity credit card between August and December of 2011. The total charges over that period of time came to nearly $700.

Hiland says crime increases when the cost to the criminal comes too cheap. "With Act 570, it really has opened up our citizens to a lot of pain when the amount is $500 to $1,000."