former stonecrest mayor's accomplice pleads guilty to felony

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,. 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. Check back for details. 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. (Art by Richard Miller). Instead, $108,000 dollars were transferred to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront propertyowned by the former mayor. An official website of the United States government. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Wilmot previously prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor C. Wilmot prosecuted the case. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022. No stone was more important than the cornerstone because the integrity of the whole structure depended on the cornerstone containing . 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. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. Both Boone and Lary remain out of jail on bond until their sentencing hearings. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]. 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. Hardworking people like us, Will Morrell said. 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 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. "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.". 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. In general, according to the Department of the Treasury, relief funds could only be used to cover costs that [were] necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency. His sentencing is set for May 2. 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. Stonecrest residents that Jones talked to were outraged. A lock ( 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. The city of Stonecrest could hold a special election as early as March to decide Larys replacement. That decision will be made at a later date. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. Lary and others falsely claimed that the money would be each businesss contribution to Stonecrest-related marketing and advertising. The details of Boones plea deal are similar to the one Lary accepted. Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. His plea came the same morning his resignation as mayor of Stonecrest became official. Jason Lary, who announced his resignation as the mayor of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal. Main Office: At least two candidates have publicly said theyll run to be the citys next mayor. The 60-year-old Lary pleaded guilty in January to fraud and theft charges. Main Office: 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. The indictment alleges that Smith stole more than $450,000 in Social Security Administration Northern District of Georgia Lary placed the defendant, Clarence Boone, who was then Senior Economic Development Manager for Stonecrest, in charge of overseeing the Small Business Program. STONECREST MAYOR JASON LARY RESIGNS DAY BEFORE FEDERAL COURT DATE, FORMER STONECREST MAYOR ADMINS ROLE IN COVID RELIEF FRAUD SCHEME. This sentencing holds Lary accountable for abusing his position of trust and blatant disrespect for the law.. 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. Lary did not tell Church 1 at this time that he actually controlled REMC. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. The city will hold a special election to select a new mayor. 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. We are putting measures into place to prevent what we experienced during the meeting.. 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. STONECREST CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO CENSURE MAYOR AFTER IMMATURE PUBLIC REMARKS, "Lary allegedly abused the power and trust conferred on him as Mayor of Stonecrest to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars intended for COVID-19 relief," said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. The former mayor of Stonecrest who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges is making a punishment request. "I did the best I could do with what we had in place.". FORMER MAYOR ADMITS ROLE IN COVID RELIEF FRAUD SCHEME. 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. Per federal rules, Stonecrest officials could only spend these relief funds on necessary expenditures related to . The Internet address for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. . 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DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. 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.. 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. Stonecrest did not disburse the $6 million allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program. ATLANTA - Jason Lary, the former mayor of Stonecrest, and Lania Boone, a bookkeeper for the entity that administered COVID-19 relief funds awarded to Stonecrest, have pleaded guilty to. Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal. 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. A locked padlock As mayor, he took control of who received $6.2 million in CARES Act money. Author: 11alive.com Published: 6:24 PM EST February 11, 2022 Around October 2021, the United States seized approximately $480,000 of fraud proceeds held in the bank accounts of Visit Us and Battleground Media. An official website of the United States government. We have no response about the Mayors resignation, city officials said. The mayor only votes in the event of a tie a rarity for a five-member City Council. Jason Lary, whose resignation. 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. As you can tell with technology, it can be immature and ridiculous, and thats fine, Lary said. ATLANTA - After spending nearly a year proclaiming his innocence, former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary admitted masterminding a scheme to steal COVID relief funds. City leaders have not chosen a specific location for the special election to be held. 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. Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. 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. He then asked the church to give $50,000 back to one of the companies included in the scheme. Former advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, Roger Stone, leaves the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse after being found guilty of obstructing a congressional investigation into . 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. A locked padlock Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford, Chief of Public Integrity and Civil Rights, is prosecuting the case. 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. 100 people involved in a total of $26 million in CARES Act fraud. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the only news outlet at the hearing. His legal team is citing his health and lack of criminal record should merit a lighter sentence. ATLANTA (AP) A suburban Atlanta mayor pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges a day after announcing his resignation from office. The people of Stonecrest deserved better, and corrupt officials can expect severe consequences for using their offices to commit crimes.. Suite 600 Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. Lary also made the defendants wife, Lania Boone, the bookkeeper charged with distributing relief funds. 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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. 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. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. He declined to say what type of cancer he is battling but said it seems to be resurfacing for the third time. 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. Boone was the companys bookkeeper and wrote multiple checks to disburse the funds, records show. "Quite frankly folks, now its turned ugly," he said during a news conference in April 2021. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds. 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. 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. 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. If the special election for the mayors seat requires a runoff election, it will take place June 21. 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. 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. His sentencing hearing has been set for May 2. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The city's first mayor did not mention his legal troubles in a resignation speech. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. 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). 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. Lary is due in court to answer for fraud allegations. Prosecutors said the 59-year-old former mayor concocted a scheme to divert funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The first mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to the federal charges earlier this year. Lary, who faces up to 35 years in prison, will be sentenced on May 2. Erskine told the FOX 5 I-Team he is accused of pocketing more than $650,000. In return, prosecutors recommended a lighter sentence of 366 days in confinement half in prison and half as home arrest. Boone, who wrote the bulk of the checks using the stolen funds, agreed with that Friday in court. 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 . "I came back too early from my second round with cancer. Charles Johnson, Sr., has pleaded guilty for not paying $1.4 million in payroll taxes and for failure to pay employment taxes. The government said no marketing was ever done. Sandra D. Smith has been arraigned on federal charges of wire fraud and theft of government funds. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. In court on Wednesday, Lary apologized to his family, friends and Stonecrest residents. She also agreed to pay restitution. All rights reserved. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives. Lania Boone, a bookkeeper Lary hired for one of companies, admitted to helping the former mayor siphon CARES act money for personal use. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call . By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 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. In total, businesses were defrauded out of hundreds of thousands of dollars of relief funds. Lary is expected to be sentenced on July 13 at 10 a.m. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. In January, Jason Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. The relief funds deposited into the Visit Us and Battleground Media accounts were used by Lary to benefit himself and his associates. Lock His sentencing is set for May 2. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Lary was also ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution as well. 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