former stonecrest mayor's accomplice pleads guilty to felony
STONECREST, Ga. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. 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 sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. He also settled income taxes he owed going back to 2015. Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford, Chief of Public Integrity and Civil Rights, is prosecuting the case. We have no response about the Mayors resignation, city officials said. 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. 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. "Quite frankly folks, now its turned ugly," he said during a news conference in April 2021. 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. Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. ATLANTA - After spending nearly a year proclaiming his innocence, former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary admitted masterminding a scheme to steal COVID relief funds. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Boone, who wrote the bulk of the checks using the stolen funds, agreed with that Friday in court. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. Lary, 60, pleaded. Hardworking people like us, Will Morrell said. At least two candidates have publicly said theyll run to be the citys next mayor. 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. 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. 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,. Second, Lary told churches that received relief funds from the Stonecrest Cares Program that they were required to contribute a portion of those funds for purposes identified by Lary. "You don't recognize Mayor Pro Tem and council and just leave me standing there like I'm not in the meeting. 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. Channel 2s Audrey Washington called and emailed Stonecrest officials about the announcement and the hack. Lary continued with the meeting after an IT tech fixed the problem. (Art by Richard Miller). The phrase is quoted by Jesus, who applies it to his mission of death and glory, after having told the . If you have additional information, pictures, or video email newstipsatlanta@fox.com. 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. 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. 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. Boone was the companys bookkeeper and wrote multiple checks to disburse the funds, records show. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. For example, Lary presented a check for $150,000 in relief funds to Church 1, on the condition that $50,000 be given to a company called Real Estate Management Consultants, LLC (REMC). By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Lary and Boone knew the purpose of the transfer was to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront home owned by Lary. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022. Main Office: As another example, Lary presented a check from MRPC for $50,000 to Church 2. Later, a person acting on Larys behalf told Church 2 to contribute $4,500 of the relief funds to REMC, purportedly for rent assistance. He's accused of federal fraud related to COVID-19 relief funds. 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. As mayor, he took control of who received $6.2 million in CARES Act money. Lania Boone pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft on February 11, 2022. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Wilmot previously prosecuted the case. 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 details of Boones plea deal are similar to the one Lary accepted. The censure stemmed from remarks Mayor Lary made at the end of a council meeting on Sept. 27. Suite 600 Until a new mayor is elected, the mayors responsibilities will be handled by the mayor pro tem. The federal government permitted DeKalb County to further disburse these relief funds to its municipalities. For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. His plea came the same morning his resignation as mayor of Stonecrest became official. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. accused of personally profiting from COVID-19 relief money. He said he had surgery in late December 2020. 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. 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. Stonecrest mayor appeared in federal court about misusing CARES fund Mayor Jason Lary and others in the city of Stonecrest is charged with mishandling 650,000 of CARES money meant for the citizens of Stonecrest. The judge says Lary's actions were "deplorable" and rejected a defense request for Lary to avoid prison time. His coconspirators previously pleaded guilty and received the following sentences: This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the DeKalb County District Attorneys Office. A former health care executive, Lary was instrumental in convincing the General Assembly to create the city of Stonecrest along I-20 in south DeKalb County. ATLANTA (AP) A suburban Atlanta mayor pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges a day after announcing his resignation from office. The resolution also adopted a funding plan for most of Stonecrests relief funds. Jason Lary, 60, of Stonecrest, Georgia, has been sentenced to four years and nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The application included the question, are you willing to allocate 25% of your grant to marketing your business? Hundreds of businesses applied for relief funds, but most of the applicants were rejected. Since Larys term was set to expire at the end of 2023, the city charter requires a special election to fill his post. Third, Lary and others acting on his behalf solicited relief funds from businesses that received grants under the Small Business Program. Lary and others falsely claimed that the money would be each businesss contribution to Stonecrest-related marketing and advertising. The city will hold a special election to select a new mayor. Lary resigned a day before he pleaded guilty to. This sentencing holds Lary accountable for abusing his position of trust and blatant disrespect for the law.. A locked padlock The first mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to the federal charges earlier this year. Main Office: 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. The city of Stonecrest could hold a special election as early as March to decide Larys replacement. Later, in March 2021, after learning of an investigation into the citys handling of relief funds and knowing that the business had never filed paperwork to support the grant, Clarence Boone attempted to conceal the scheme by directing the businesss owner to submit an application that contained false statements, even though the Small Business Program had already ceased operations. Richard B. Russell Federal Building Suite 600 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. Later in December 2020 and January 2021, Clarence Boone coordinated with Lary and Lania Boone to use $108,155.52 of relief funds to pay off the mortgage on Larys lakefront home in Macon, Georgia, and used more than $7,600 of relief funds to pay college tuition, a meal plan, books, and rent for Clarence Boones son. February 21, 2022 Chris Butler. Instead, Lary spent the money to pay his own property expenses and his dues to the Georgia Campaign Finance Committee. In January, Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. FORMER MAYOR ADMITS ROLE IN COVID RELIEF FRAUD SCHEME. For example, Lary used relief funds held by Visit Us to pay for an associates political advertising. 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. 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). Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. 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According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: In March 2020, the President signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law in response to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 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. Official websites use .gov "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.". A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. An official website of the United States government. 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. A locked padlock Official websites use .gov 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 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. 2021 5 Feb. "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone" ( Psalm 118:22 ). Lary announced his resignation during a Zoom meeting on Tuesday. Yet Lary and others asked that these contributions be given not to Stonecrest, but to entities called Visit Us, Inc. and Battleground Media, LLC. Lary faces up to 35 years in prison on all three counts. The potential stakes are high for offenders who break new guidelines. 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. All rights reserved. In September 2020, Jason Lary, then the Mayor of Stonecrest, signed a resolution acknowledging these CARES Act requirements. 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. Former Los Angeles City Councilmember Jose Huizar pleaded guilty Friday to charges of racketeering and tax evasion, admitting that he extorted at least $1.5 million in bribes from real estate . 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.. Lary was arraigned in November 2021, accused of personally profiting from COVID-19 relief money. Last year the Northern District of Georgia US Attorney's office prosecuted at least 100 people involved in a total of $26 million in CARES Act fraud. Lary was supposed to be in office until the end of 2023. None the less, I will continue to serve the people of the great city of Stonecrest.". Example video title will go here for this video, Should Be Alive Ep. The relief funds were designed to cover costs during the public health emergency. Around the same time, Lary directed approximately $7,600 in stolen relief funds to be used for Boones sons college tuition and rent. The first is verse 22, "The stone rejected by the builders has become the corner-stone". "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. In another case, Lary allegedly gave a church $50,000. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. 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. Boones case matches the legal process used by Jason Lary, the founding mayor of Stonecrest. It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]. Cobbles term is set to expire in 2026, so another special election will be necessary. She also agreed to pay restitution. Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary on Wednesday pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft and conspiracy to commit federal program theft, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Lary, who faces up to 35 years in prison, will be sentenced on May 2. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives. Instead, $108,000 dollars were transferred to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront propertyowned by the former mayor. 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. Small businesses that applied for financial relief were asked on an application form if theyd be willing to give 25% of the grant to one of three companies to market their business. 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. It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges, Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges, 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), more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, 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. Lock Stonecrest did not disburse the $6 million allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program. Lary, 60, pleaded guilty in January to wire fraud, federal program theft and conspiracy to commit federal program theft. The last day Stonecrest residents can register to vote in time for the special election is April 25. 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 Jason Lary pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing COVID-19 relief funds that were supposed to go to struggling businesses. A lock ( In court on Wednesday, Lary apologized to his family, friends and Stonecrest residents. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW The. "I did the best I could do with what we had in place.". 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. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. As you can tell with technology, it can be immature and ridiculous, and thats fine, Lary said. 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. Then, Lary caused the city to enter a contract with MPRC to disburse the relief funds as directed by Stonecrest. Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal. The qualification period will take place roughly a month before the election date, and it must end 25 days before the election takes place. Those duties include acting as the figurehead of the city and appointing members to boards and committees.
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