Vernon housing program manager charged with stealing rent checks from tenants

A program manager for the Vernon Housing Authority was arrested in connection with the alteration and theft of rent checks from at least five tenants for months in 2020.

Michael Gentile, 36, of Manchester, was fired from his position at the authority in early December after he overdosed on fentanyl while on the job. Weeks later, a police investigation began after uncashed rental checks were found in his office from individuals that weren’t listed in the housing database, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Gentile is now being charged with first-degree larceny, second and third-degree forgery and third-degree computer crime after the investigation found that he stole rent money from at…