Former Lakewood Forest HOA manager charged in $53,630 theft case

A Lakewood Forest homeowners association manager is accused of diverting $53,630.77 in community money on Amazon, DoorDash, Cash App, T-Mobile and other personal charges, a loss that could leave one of north Harris County’s largest neighborhoods with less cash for upkeep, reserves and future repairs.

Sheisha Sparrow, the former manager for Lakewood Forest Homeowners Association, faces a third-degree felony theft charge after Harris County Precinct 4 deputies investigated a complaint from the HOA president. Court documents say the alleged theft began well before the complaint was filed and may have stretched from April 2024 through September 2025.

The case centered on a breakdown in financial oversight. A new general manager found a binder containing unopened bank statements and later learned the HOA credit card had been used for unauthorized personal expenses. Investigators said the suspicious charges included purchases and transfers tied to services the association does not use, including Gexa Energy and a cellular account. The HOA told investigators it does not use Gexa Energy or provide a cellular device, which made those charges stand out. Subpoenas reportedly showed Sparrow was the account holder for the other services tied to the spending.

Lakewood Forest is not a small subdivision. The HOA describes the neighborhood as 2,617 homes in the Northwest Houston, Cypress and Tomball area. The Lakewood Forest Fund says the community is self-managed, with seven volunteer trustees, a general manager and a compliance team administrator. The Lakewood Forest Civic Association says it was founded in 1985 and operates as an independent nonprofit neighborhood association run by elected homeowner volunteers.

Sparrow was booked into the Harris County Jail and later released on a $20,000 bond. The HOA said it had no comment while the case continues, and Sparrow declined to comment. For homeowners, the financial stakes are straightforward: if the money is not recovered, associations often have to rebuild reserves, defer projects or consider special assessments to cover the shortfall.

Texas law gives property owners’ associations a right to examine books and records, including financial records, which is why unopened bank statements and account reviews matter so much when a community is self-managed. In a neighborhood of this size, even a single employee with credit-card access can create a costly gap between dues collected and maintenance actually delivered.