Two Roanoke Valley men charged in a scheme to defraud the NC Hope Program of rental assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic will have their arraignments in January, court records show.

Arkino Williams of Enfield and Timothy Harvey of Roanoke Rapids were two of six people to be charged in the conspiracy that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina says included 44 fraudulent applications resulting  in the disbursement of more than $279,000 in proceeds from the program which was designed to assist renters facing hardships during the pandemic.

The indictment against the six men charges that between June of 2021 and February of last year, they claimed to be landlords of properties they didn’t own in a conspiracy to apply for and receive rental assistance from the program.

Williams received a check for $8,940 for rental assistance at a residence at 6626 Bowers Road, a check for $8,940 for a residence at 3166 Bowers Road, a check for $2,250 for the 3166 Bowers Road address — all in the Littleton area — and a check for $2,250 for a residence at 21727 Highway 561 in the Enfield area. 

Williams is charged with four counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

Harvey, according to the indictment, with Joe Jefferson of Nashville, received the following:

A check for $6,705 for a residence at 785 Highway 903 in Roanoke Rapids, a check for $6,930 for a residence in Nashville, a check for $6,930, a check for $10,000, a check for $10,000, a check for $3,000, a check $3,000 and a $4,620 check — all for residences in Rocky Mount.

Harvey is charged with eight counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

Joe Lewis Jefferson is charged with 22 counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

The remaining defendants are:

Danyael Davis Jefferson, age 50, of Nashville who is charged with three counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

John Lee Bass, age 49, of Rocky Mount who is charged with eight counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

Douglas Roberson, age 34, of Rocky Mount who is charged with four counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.