CINCINNATI — Federal agents arrested a registered sex offender who's accused of forging court documents and judges' signatures in an effort to obtain housing vouchers.
Gary Wipperman, 57, is required to register his residence to authorities every 90 days after being convicted of gross sexual imposition and felonious sexual penetration involving a 9-year-old victim in Greene County in 1993.
U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development conducted a regular data review last year and found that Wipperman had registered his residence at an address that is subsidized through HUD's federal funding. However, HUD regulations prohibit anyone registered as a sex offender for life from receiving assistance.
Wipperman had been selected for a Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority wait list for housing vouchers in 2015, but was denied because of his sex offender status, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice. He requested a review of the decision.
HUD held an informal review hearing in February of 2016. Authorities said Wipperman provided fictitious documents to HUD — some with forged signatures — to back up his claim that he was allowed to live in subsidized housing. The documents appeared to be opinions from various federal judges, making claims like Wipperman was "deemed innocent of all charges." One was a supposed docket sheet from the U.S. Supreme Court.
"He backed those claims with supposed court documents," U.S. Attorney Ben Glassman said. "None of it was true."
Despite the documents being phony, HUD allowed Wipperman to proceed with his application for subsidized housing, authorities said. Wipperman used vouchers to pay a portion of his rent between April 2016 and February 2019.
Wipperman is charged with forgery of the signature of any judge, theft of government funds and making false statements. If convicted of all the charges, he could face as much as 20 years in prison.
"One of the fundamental missions of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is to provide decent, safe and affordable housing," Special Agent in Charge Brad Geary said. "Moreover, children, who reside in these developments, must not be subject to residing close to those who are 'lifetime sex offenders.'"
Authorities asked anyone with information about Wipperman to call the Cincinnati Police Department at 513-765-1212.
