former stonecrest mayor's accomplice pleads guilty to felony

Have a question about Government Services? "The question of compassion to this Honorable Court is what is the appropriate sentenced for the conduct of this Defendant who, when confronted 'fessed up' and avoided costly indictment and made good faith efforts to cooperate with the Government," court documents read. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives. Under the CARES Act, the federal government distributed COVID-19 relief funds to individual Americans, federal agencies, and state and local governments, including $125 million to DeKalb County. The image comes from the ancient quarries where highly-trained stonemasons carefully chose the stones used in construction. Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. . SB 300, also called the Sentencing Reform Act, would rewrite part of Proposition 115, a 1990 ballot initiative that expanded the definition of first-degree murder to include murder committed . "If you don't know protocol, you better learn it with me," said Lary. The details of Boones plea deal are similar to the one Lary accepted. A bookkeeper and spouse of a former Stonecrest official accepted a plea deal in federal court Friday afternoon for participating in the same fraud scheme that brought down the city's founding. Court documents show he was arraigned on the charges after relief funds expected to be allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program never made it to the city initiatives. In one case, federal investigators alleged that Lary gave a church $150,000 under the condition that they would give a third of the money to a company called Real Estate Management Consultants LLC, which Lary controlled. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call . In return, prosecutors recommended a lighter sentence of 366 days in confinement half in prison and half as home arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford, Chief of Public Integrity and Civil Rights, is prosecuting the case. The relief funds were designed to cover costs during the public health emergency. Lary did not tell Church 1 at this time that he actually controlled REMC. Residents will soon get a chance to elect a new mayor in Stonecrest. Boone, who wrote the bulk of the checks using the stolen funds, agreed with that Friday in court. The first mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to the federal charges earlier this year. A judge will have the final say on her sentencing; her conspiracy charge carries a maximum of five years behind bars. A bookkeeper and spouse of a former Stonecrest official accepted a plea deal in federal court Friday afternoon for participating in the same fraud scheme that brought down the city's founding mayor. MATTIE'S CALL: A 9-month-old baby girl was reported missing from the Ellenwood area with a man police say was diagnosed with a mental illness. 2: Person of Interest. No stone was more important than the cornerstone because the integrity of the whole structure depended on the cornerstone containing . Instead of being a trustworthy steward of CARES Act funding, Clarence Boone and his co-conspirators schemed to misappropriate those funds to enrich themselves at the expense of those less fortunate. The former mayor of Stonecrest and a bookkeeper who administered COVID-19 relief funds to the town pleaded guilty in federal court this month to charges related to the theft of pandemic relief funds. Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. His resignation went into effect Wednesday. "I did the best I could do with what we had in place.". Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Lary and Boone knew the purpose of the transfer was to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront home owned by Lary. Stonecrest could hold a special election to fill the vacant mayor's seat as early as March. His plea came the same morning his resignation as mayor of Stonecrest became official. The qualification period will take place roughly a month before the election date, and it must end 25 days before the election takes place. Author: 11alive.com Published: 6:24 PM EST February 11, 2022 Shes the wife of Clarence Boone, the citys former economic development director who was fired as a result of investigations in the citys relief program. A former suburban Atlanta mayor was sentenced to nearly five years in prison on Wednesday for masterminding a scheme to steal nearly $925,000 of the $6.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds that. ATLANTA - The former Mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing COVID-19 relief funds that were supposed to go to struggling businesses. Former Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary is met by FOX 5 I-Team Reporter Randy Travis as he walks into the federal courthouse in Atlanta to enter a guilty plea to stealing CARES Act money on Jan. 5, 2022. Lania Boone pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft on February 11, 2022. "You don't recognize Mayor Pro Tem and council and just leave me standing there like I'm not in the meeting. STONECREST MAYOR RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS OF CARES ACT FUNDS MISUSE. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges, Former mayor of Stonecrest, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID-19 relief funds, LIST: Schools across Georgia closing early ahead of possible severe weather, Gallery of storm damage across GA: Send us your photos, videos, Firefighters rescue Cherokee County man buried up to his neck in trench, Excel Church gives despite recovery from fire, Father and 9-month-old daughter reported missing in Clayton County, 26-year-old woman shot while driving in Decatur, Sign up for Atlanta News First Newsletters. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID relief funds 585 views Feb 11, 2022 5 Dislike Share 11Alive 856K subscribers Jason Lary, the former mayor of. Credit: Photo courtesy of Boston College Athletics, Former Stonecrest mayors accomplice pleads guilty to felony, Stonecrest councilwoman among candidates running to replace disgraced mayor, Jahmyr Gibbs: Georgia Tech helped make me who I am today, Georgia Tech closes regular season with win over Boston College. Lary betrayed the trust placed in him by the citizens of Stonecrest by stealing the very funds meant to help his constituents weather the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan said. MATTIE'S CALL: A 9-month-old baby girl was reported missing from the Ellenwood area with a man police say was diagnosed with a mental illness. Like the rest of the country, the residents and businesses of Stonecrest community looked to its government for vital assistance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. Lary did not tell the businesses that he controlled these entities. Clarence Boone, 60, of Decatur, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 13, 2023. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. 2023 FOX Television Stations. Lary is accused of stealing more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds meant to help the people of Stonecrest who he was supposed to serve. "Mr. Lary has serious health challenges and at age 60 the Defendant finds himself facing a legacy of criminal history that is and was 'money motivated,' and not violence or physical harm to others, nor drug related," his legal team writes in a sentencing memorandum filed with the court. A Georgia Senator said he was unsurprised to hear about the indictment. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges, Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges, Stonecrest mayor appeared in federal court about misusing CARES fund. Instead, $108,000 dollars were transferred to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront propertyowned by the former mayor. Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. Inpractice, the Stonecrest Cares Program directed relief funds to churches and non-profit organizations in and around Stonecrest. The city will hold a special election to select a new mayor. The city's first mayor did not mention his legal troubles in a resignation speech. Stonecrest received $6.2 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds, and the two are accused of taking some of the funds for themselves. Jason Lary was accused of stealing more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. Jason Lary was accused of stealing more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds In January, Jason Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. Lary was also ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution as well. Puede participar en nuestro ensayo sobre EPOC? Sandra D. Smith has been arraigned on federal charges of wire fraud and theft of government funds. The church was then told to contribute $4,500 to REMC, which officials say the mayor used to pay his own property expenses and dues. On October 28, 2020, for example, Clarence Boone and Lary circumvented the application process and directed more than $50,000 to a business that they knew was not conducting any legitimate operations, and Lania Boone ultimately wrote the check to disburse the funds. 2023 FOX Television Stations, resignation went into effect at 10 a.m. Wednesday, he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID-19 relief. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor C. Wilmot prosecuted the case. Then, Lary caused the city to enter a contract with MPRC to disburse the relief funds as directed by Stonecrest. Jason Lary admitted he stole more than $650,000 in CARES Act money that was supposed to help struggling businesses and church. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. And while Lary falsely stated that the $50,000 would be used to assist with home repairs for people who could not afford them due to COVID-19, in reality he used the money for his own purposes, including to pay off his outstanding federal, state, and local tax liabilities. Lary also made the defendants wife, Lania Boone, the bookkeeper charged with distributing relief funds. DeKalb County then disbursed $6.2 million of these relief funds to Stonecrest. Both Boone and Lary remain out of jail on bond until their sentencing hearings. Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. Jason Lary stole more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds meant to help the. "I came back too early from my second round with cancer. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds. ATLANTA - The former Mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing COVID-19 relief funds that were supposed to go to struggling businesses. The people of Stonecrest deserved better, and corrupt officials can expect severe consequences for using their offices to commit crimes.. Jason Lary received a sentence of four years and nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $119,607.69. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The three conspired to steal and misappropriate relief funds intended for struggling businesses in Stonecrest. Cobbles term is set to expire in 2026, so another special election will be necessary. He faces a max sentence of 35 years in prison. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS ", Former Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary is met by FOX 5 I-Team Reporter Randy Travis as he walks into the federal courthouse in Atlanta to enter a guilty plea to stealing CARES Act money on Jan. 5, 2022. The resolution also adopted a funding plan for most of Stonecrests relief funds. Instead, Lary spent the money to pay his own property expenses and his dues to the Georgia Campaign Finance Committee. The City Council voted Monday to set the election date, determine qualifying information and formally ask ask the DeKalb County Board of Registrations and Elections to run the election. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. ATLANTA - After spending nearly a year proclaiming his innocence, former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary admitted masterminding a scheme to steal COVID relief funds. Wilmot said Lary used some of that stolen money to pay off the $108,147 mortgage on his lakefront home in Macon. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]. The city will hold a special election on May 24 to fill the rest of the mayor's term after the office was vacated by Jason Lary in January. If the special election for the mayors seat requires a runoff election, it will take place June 21. STONECREST, Ga. Editor's note: The video above is from a previous story. Former Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary and his former bookkeeper have pleaded guilty to charges related to allegedly stealing COVID relief funds awarded to Stonecrest during the pandemic, officials said. Lary resigned a day before he pleaded guilty to concocting a fraud scheme to steal more than $650,000 in federal pandemic relief funds. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. With Lary now 60 years old and with no criminal history, his legal team requested that house arrest, community service and statutory required supervision be considered for his sentence. He does not have to report to prison until Dec. 15, so he can continue treatment for prostate cancer. The potential stakes are high for offenders who break new guidelines. For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Credit: Photo courtesy of Boston College Athletics, Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges, Stonecrest passes on March election date to replace mayor after guilty fraud plea, Jahmyr Gibbs: Georgia Tech helped make me who I am today, Georgia Tech closes regular season with win over Boston College. The former Mayor of Stonecrest Jason Lary pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing COVID-19 relief funds that were supposed to go to struggling businesses. A bookkeeper and spouse of a former Stonecrest official accepted a plea deal in federal court Friday afternoon for participating in the same fraud scheme that brought down the citys founding mayor. his resignation as mayor of Stonecrest became official. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. . A lock ( By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. A bookkeeper and spouse of a former Stonecrest official accepted a plea deal in federal court Friday afternoon for participating in the same fraud scheme that brought down the city's founding mayor. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Lania Boone, 60, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for her role in a scheme to steal federal pandemic relief funds. However, federal authorities said Lary worked behind the scenes with an organization known as Municipal Resource Partners Corporation, Inc. ("MRPC") to disburse the relief funds. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. Per federal rules, Stonecrest officials could only spend these relief funds on necessary expenditures related to . 2023 Cox Media Group. Lary was supposed to be in office until the end of 2023. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. Lania Boone, 60, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for her role in a scheme to steal . The federal government permitted DeKalb County to further disburse these relief funds to its municipalities. In September 2020, Jason Lary, then the Mayor of Stonecrest, signed a resolution acknowledging these CARES Act requirements. February 21, 2022 Chris Butler. ATLANTA Jason Lary, the former Mayor of the City of Stonecrest, has been sentenced for using his elected office to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds allocated to the city. That decision will be made at a later date. Attorneys for the Northern District of Georgia, Stonecrests former Senior Economic Development Manager pleads guilty to theft of COVID-19 relief funds, https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form, CEO of Atlanta engineering firm pleads guilty to failing to pay payroll taxes, Arizona man pleads guilty to extorting Georgia Tech, Georgia woman charged with stealing over $450,000 in government and retirement benefits, Stonecrests Former Senior Economic Development Manager Pleads Guilty To Theft of COVID 19 Relief Funds. and were incurred during the period that [began] on March 1, 2020, and [ended] on December 30, 2020. Examples of eligible expenditures were medical expenses, public health expenses, and grants to small businesses to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures. During a struggle to implement new city manager, Lary said he was facing what could be his third battle with cancer. Main Office: Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary is asking for a lighter sentence than he faces after pleading guilty to allegedly stealing COVID relief funds awarded to the city during the pandemic. Check back for details. Lary agreed that he diverted at least $650,000 in relief money by requiring Stonecrest churches and businesses to kick back a portion of their grant money to companies he controlled. WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta facebook feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta twitter feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta instagram feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta youtube feed(Opens a new window), Reality star Honey Boo Boo was inside speeding Dodge Charger involved in chase with Ga. deputies, 49-year-old man shot multiple times during drug deal in northeast Atlanta, police say, A 17-year-old Gwinnett County girl thought she was taking Percocet; now shes dead, Man rescued after being accidentally buried alive in Cherokee County, Our capital city will die: Georgia senators reject proposal to separate Buckhead from Atlanta. Lary previously denied the accusations of fraud. Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. ATLANTA (AP) A former Georgia mayor will serve nearly five years in federal prison after stealing nearly $925,000 in COVID-19 relief funds that his city handed out. She also agreed to pay restitution. Main Office: U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash sentenced Stonecrest ex-mayor Jason Lary to 57 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay nearly $120,000 in restitution. None the less, I will continue to serve the people of the great city of Stonecrest.". In total, businesses were defrauded out of hundreds of thousands of dollars of relief funds. Around the same time, Lary directed approximately $7,600 in stolen relief funds to be used for Boones sons college tuition and rent. Lary was arraigned in November 2021, accused of personally profiting from COVID-19 relief money. The DeKalb County District Attorneys Office will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to bring these bad actors to justice, said DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston. But he was using it for his own personal needs.. His sentencing is set for May 2. Those duties include acting as the figurehead of the city and appointing members to boards and committees. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. STONECREST MAYOR JASON LARY RESIGNS DAY BEFORE FEDERAL COURT DATE, FORMER STONECREST MAYOR ADMINS ROLE IN COVID RELIEF FRAUD SCHEME. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. In or about November 2020, Stonecrest published an application on its website for businesses to apply for relief funds under the Small Business Program. Jason Lary, whose resignation went into effect at 10 a.m. Wednesday, pleaded guilty to three counts involving wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash sentenced Stonecrest ex-mayor Jason Lary to 57 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay nearly $120,000 in restitution. The U.S. Attorney's Office alleges Mayor Jason Lary misused $6.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds. "The FBI will do everything in our power to make sure stolen funds are returned to the public, and individuals involved in this type of criminal behavior are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.". Stonecrest residents that Jones talked to were outraged. Boone is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $119,607.69. Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. The people of Stonecrest deserved better, and corrupt officials can expect severe consequences for using their offices to commit crimes., It is extremely disheartening when an elected official, someone sworn to protect the community they serve, violates that oath by stealing relief funds intended to aid their community, said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. As you can tell with technology, it can be immature and ridiculous, and thats fine, Lary said. Lary faces up to 35 years in prison on all three counts. In Larys guilty plea, he admitted to making sure that Boone was hired as Municipal Resource Partners bookkeeper. The judge says Larys actions were deplorable and rejected a defense request for Lary to avoid prison time. The first is verse 22, "The stone rejected by the builders has become the corner-stone". Erskine told the FOX 5 I-Team he is accused of pocketing more than $650,000. U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash sentenced Stonecrest ex-mayor Jason Lary to 57 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay nearly $120,000 in restitution. Ignoring input from the official selection committee, from about November 2020, until about February 2021, Boone signed dozens of checks on behalf of MRPC, directing relief funds to individuals, businesses, churches, and non-profit organizations of Larys own choosing. His resignation went into effect Wednesday. In court on Wednesday, Lary apologized to his family, friends and Stonecrest residents. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. A locked padlock The plan provided $1 million to the Stonecrest Cares Program for mask distribution, COVID-19 education and testing, and other purposes. Lary issued a statement to FOX 5 about the censure: "My frustrations have boiled over with this council. ATLANTA Former Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary was sentenced to 57 months in prison Wednesday after he stole more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds meant for the recovery of businesses, churches and the people of the city. Instead, prosecutors said Lary used the money to cover his own tax liabilities and pay off the mortgage on his lake house. All rights reserved. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Wilmot previously prosecuted the case. Lock Example video title will go here for this video, Should Be Alive Ep. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Third, Lary and others acting on his behalf solicited relief funds from businesses that received grants under the Small Business Program. Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. On Wednesday, Channel 2s Tom Jones was in the courtroom as Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. "What the mayor said was unacceptable and does not represent city council," said Mayor Pro Tem George Turner. The indictment alleges that Smith stole more than $450,000 in Social Security Administration Northern District of Georgia BREAKING: A bookkeeper and spouse of a former Stonecrest official accepted a plea deal in federal court Friday afternoon for participating in the same fraud scheme that brought down the city's. Since Larys term was set to expire at the end of 2023, the city charter requires a special election to fill his post. In another case, Lary allegedly gave a church $50,000. Lary, 60, pleaded guilty in January to wire fraud, federal program theft and conspiracy to commit federal program theft. Former Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary is met by FOX 5 I-Team Reporter Randy Travis as he walks into the federal courthouse in Atlanta to enter a guilty plea to stealing CARES Act money on Jan.. Boone and the former Mayor conspired to fraudulently line each others pockets with relief funds that were desperately needed by struggling businesses in Stonecrest, said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. Lary continued with the meeting after an IT tech fixed the problem. Hardworking people like us, Will Morrell said. Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal.

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