former stonecrest mayor's accomplice pleads guilty to felony

Around the same time, Lary directed approximately $7,600 in stolen relief funds to be used for Boones sons college tuition and rent. . Cobbles term is set to expire in 2026, so another special election will be necessary. In total, businesses were defrauded out of hundreds of thousands of dollars of relief funds. In or about November 2020, Stonecrest published an application on its website for businesses to apply for relief funds under the Small Business Program. 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. 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 . The FBI and prosecutors found that $108,000 of relief funds were used to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront home owned by Lary, while another $7,600 was used to pay college tuition and rent for Boones son. "I came back too early from my second round with cancer. 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, 60, pleaded. The qualification period will take place roughly a month before the election date, and it must end 25 days before the election takes place. Former Stonecrest mayor's accomplice pleads guilty to felony - ajc Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. 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. DeKalb County then disbursed $6.2 million of these relief funds to Stonecrest. STONECREST MAYOR JASON LARY RESIGNS DAY BEFORE FEDERAL COURT DATE, FORMER STONECREST MAYOR ADMINS ROLE IN COVID RELIEF FRAUD SCHEME. Lary continued with the meeting after an IT tech fixed the problem. Instead, Lary spent the money to pay his own property expenses and his dues to the Georgia Campaign Finance Committee. Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022. STONECREST, Ga. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. Stonecrest sets May election date to replace mayor after guilty - ajc His resignation went into effect Wednesday. Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. Lary wont be required to report to prison until after Dec. 15, giving him time for more cancer treatments. 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. . 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. 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. 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. Lary was also ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution as well. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges. Since Larys term was set to expire at the end of 2023, the city charter requires a special election to fill his post. Hardworking people like us, Will Morrell said. Stonecrest residents that Jones talked to were outraged. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Lary issued a statement to FOX 5 about the censure: "My frustrations have boiled over with this council. Former Mayor of Stonecrest sentenced to prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds 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. In return, prosecutors recommended a lighter sentence of 366 days in confinement half in prison and half as home arrest. 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. His sentencing hearing has been set for May 2. Jason Lary was accused of stealing more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday. Jones tried to get a comment from Larys attorney after court, but he refused to make a statement. 2023 Cox Media Group. The phrase is quoted by Jesus, who applies it to his mission of death and glory, after having told the . Andrea V. Watson. Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal. 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. Jason Lary was accused of stealing more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. Boone agreed to cooperate with government agents, provide records and testify at future trials. 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. 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. Lary, who faces up to 35 years in prison, will be sentenced on May 2. Attorneys for the Northern District of Georgia, Former Mayor of Stonecrest sentenced to prison for stealing 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, Former Mayor of Stonecrest Sentenced To Prison For Stealing COVID 19 Relief Funds. This sentencing holds Lary accountable for abusing his position of trust and blatant disrespect for the law.. He does not have to report to prison until Dec. 15, so he can continue treatment for prostate cancer. This story is breaking. Around October 2021, the United States seized approximately $480,000 of fraud proceeds held in the bank accounts of Visit Us and Battleground Media. Federal prosecutors said that in addition to paying off personal debt, Lary conducted a scheme where he asked small businesses and churches to whom he allocated grants to give 25% of the money to companies connected to himself and co-conspirators. 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. The Justice Department on Monday released President Trump's clemency order for longtime GOP operative Roger Stone showing the president not only wiped away Stone's prison sentence but also a . A locked padlock Father defends terrified family with machete after home intruder breaks through window in middle of night, Paolo Banchero scores 31 points, Magic beat Hornets 117-106. Stonecrest was required to spend the relief funds in accordance with the CARES Act. Federal authorities brought the mayor of Stonecrest to court alleging he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID-19 relief granted to the city. The city's first mayor did not mention his legal troubles in a resignation speech. Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. During a struggle to implement new city manager, Lary said he was facing what could be his third battle with cancer. District 3 Councilwoman Jazzmin Cobble announced last week she will resign her post once she qualifies to run for mayor, and former District 5 councilwoman Diane Adoma told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution she will run as well. ATLANTA - Clarence Boone, the former Senior Economic Development Manager of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty to conspiring with his wife, Lania Boone, and the former Mayor of Stonecrest, Jason Lary, to steal pandemic relief funds intended to support small businesses in Stonecrest. The relief funds deposited into the Visit Us and Battleground Media accounts were used by Lary to benefit himself and his associates. The population is now 60,000 with a budget of more than $13 million. A bookkeeper was also involved in the scheme and arraigned, records show. For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Stonecrest's former Senior Economic Development Manager pleads guilty 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. The U.S. Attorney's Office alleges Mayor Jason Lary misused $6.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds. 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. 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. In January, Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. 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,. 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. For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Stonecrest did not disburse the $6 million allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program. In January 2021, Boone used her access to one of MRPCs bank accounts to wire transfer approximately $108,000 of relief funds to a mortgage servicing company. InJuly 2020, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted to disburse some of the relief funds to its municipalities, including a $6.2 million grant to Stonecrest. A Georgia Senator said he was unsurprised to hear about the indictment. Lary placed the defendant, Clarence Boone, who was then Senior Economic Development Manager for Stonecrest, in charge of overseeing the Small Business Program. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Wilmot previously prosecuted the case. Lary used three different methods to steal the funds Stonecrest disbursed to MRPC. He then asked the church to give $50,000 back to one of the companies included in the scheme. Roger Stone prosecutors quit after furor over Trump ally's sentence - CNBC Example video title will go here for this video, Should Be Alive Ep. Lania Boone, 60, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for her role in a scheme to steal . Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday.. Suite 600 U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, Former U.S. A locked padlock It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. "Quite frankly folks, now its turned ugly," he said during a news conference in April 2021. Former L.A. Councilmember Jose Huizar pleads guilty in corruption case ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. They are purposely seeking to tear down everything I have worked to build in Stonecrest. 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. 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. his resignation as mayor of Stonecrest became official. His sentencing is set for May 2. A bookkeeper and spouse - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Facebook accused of personally profiting from COVID-19 relief money. Boone was the companys bookkeeper and wrote multiple checks to disburse the funds, records show. His legal team is citing his health and lack of criminal record should merit a lighter sentence. 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. In Larys guilty plea, he admitted to making sure that Boone was hired as Municipal Resource Partners bookkeeper. While I was out on cancer leave, they removed me from every committee I created, refused to pay my car allowance, while paying six figures to the finance director and $209,000 annually to the acting city manager (including a car allowance). Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges If you have additional information, pictures, or video email newstipsatlanta@fox.com. In another case, Lary allegedly gave a church $50,000. Lary is due in court to answer for fraud allegations. Third, Lary and others acting on his behalf solicited relief funds from businesses that received grants under the Small Business Program. (Art by Richard Miller). He resigned his post on Jan. 4 and accepted a plea deal the next day for concocting the scheme. 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. For example, Lary used relief funds held by Visit Us to pay for an associates political advertising. The details of Boones plea deal are similar to the one Lary accepted. Instead, prosecutors said Lary used the money to cover his own tax liabilities and pay off the mortgage on his lake house. The former mayor of Stonecrest who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges is making a punishment request. "You don't recognize Mayor Pro Tem and council and just leave me standing there like I'm not in the meeting. Lary asked potential recipients to kickback 25% of their grant to other companies for "marketing" purposes. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. Lary allegedly had the city improperly enter into a contract with a recently founded nonprofit, Municipal Resource Partners Corporation, to distribute the citys funds as a way to siphon money toward himself and cohorts. He declined to say what type of cancer he is battling but said it seems to be resurfacing for the third time. The plan provided $1 million to the Stonecrest Cares Program for mask distribution, COVID-19 education and testing, and other purposes. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Stonecrest mayor charged in alleged misuse of CARES Act federal funds Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would. 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. But he was using it for his own personal needs.. The indictment alleges that Smith stole more than $450,000 in Social Security Administration Northern District of Georgia Those companies were all connected to Lary. 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. Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. 2021 5 Feb. "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone" ( Psalm 118:22 ). 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. 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. "If you don't know protocol, you better learn it with me," said Lary. Official websites use .gov Per federal rules, Stonecrest officials could only spend these relief funds on necessary expenditures related to . 100 people involved in a total of $26 million in CARES Act fraud. 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. 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. Briefs: 11Alives news director goes to Gray; Honey Boo Boos boyfriend arrested; Marlon Woman accused of killing ill husband released from jail, Class 7A: Semifinal coverage from Georgia State, DeKalb volunteers to plant 150 trees during March, Decatur hosts second community meeting on March 2, Atlantas Carter Center preps for future without founder, Photography club captures hope during pandemic, March food and drink events to check out in metro Atlanta. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for Federal prosecutors said that in addition to paying off personal debt, Lary conducted a scheme where he asked small businesses and churches to whom he allocated grants to give 25% of the money to companies connected to himself and co-conspirators. 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. In January, Jason Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]. Former Mayor of Stonecrest sentenced to prison for stealing COVID-19 The last day Stonecrest residents can register to vote in time for the special election is April 25. He faces a max sentence of 35 years in prison. 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. I should've stayed out for several months, but circumstances prevailed where I needed to come back earlier," Lary said. The discussion comes after the censure of Stonecrest's mayor for comments he made during a meeting. 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. Lary and others falsely claimed that the money would be each businesss contribution to Stonecrest-related marketing and advertising. Lania Boone received a sentence of six months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $7,657.47. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $119,607.69. BREAKING: A bookkeeper - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Facebook 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. If the special election for the mayors seat requires a runoff election, it will take place June 21. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. 2023 Cox Media Group. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges. Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges - CBS 46 Charles Johnson, Sr., has pleaded guilty for not paying $1.4 million in payroll taxes and for failure to pay employment taxes. Candidates must pay a $600 qualifying fee. His resignation went into effect Wednesday. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call . The image comes from the ancient quarries where highly-trained stonemasons carefully chose the stones used in construction. 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.