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. . 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. (FOX 5). Richard B. Russell Federal Building Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges | AP News 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. Boone was the companys bookkeeper and wrote multiple checks to disburse the funds, records show. The city's first mayor did not mention his legal troubles in a resignation speech. In September 2020, Jason Lary, then the Mayor of Stonecrest, signed a resolution acknowledging these CARES Act requirements. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. Deana Timberlake-Wiley, Boones attorney, and federal prosecutors declined to comment. Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges Inpractice, the Stonecrest Cares Program directed relief funds to churches and non-profit organizations in and around Stonecrest. No stone was more important than the cornerstone because the integrity of the whole structure depended on the cornerstone containing . Library : Stone Rejected Has Become Cornerstone, The Former mayor of metro Atlanta city pleads guilty to fraud He also settled income taxes he owed going back to 2015. 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. 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. Have a question about Government Services? Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. "What the mayor said was unacceptable and does not represent city council," said Mayor Pro Tem George Turner. ATLANTA (AP) A suburban Atlanta mayor pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges a day after announcing his resignation from office. He said he had surgery in late December 2020. 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. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. Jason Lary was accused of stealing more than. Sandra D. Smith has been arraigned on federal charges of wire fraud and theft of government funds. The city will hold a special election to select a new mayor. 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 . Lock Cobbles term is set to expire in 2026, so another special election will be necessary. 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. Lary resigned from his post as a mayor right before filing a guilty plea to the charges, citing health reasons and three battles with cancer. The. Jason Lary admitted he stole more than $650,000 in CARES Act money that was supposed to help struggling businesses and church. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Up to $10,000 reward now being offered in finding missing Georgia family man in Baton Rouge, Woman shot near DeKalb gas station; police say person cut her off, pulled out handgun, Forecast | Bright sunshine returns for the weekend, Metro Atlanta, north Georgia hit with widespread damage after storms produce powerful winds, Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID relief funds, Ex-Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges, Stonecrest mayor, who is facing federal charges, says he will resign. Lary and Boone knew the purpose of the transfer was to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront home owned by Lary. Lania Boone pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft on February 11, 2022. Wilmot said Lary used some of that stolen money to pay off the $108,147 mortgage on his lakefront home in Macon. Erskine told the FOX 5 I-Team he is accused of pocketing more than $650,000. Suite 600 It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. The potential stakes are high for offenders who break new guidelines. 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. The plan also provided $5 million to the COVID-19 CARES Act Small Business Program (Small Business Program). Former L.A. Councilmember Jose Huizar pleads guilty in corruption case Sentencing is scheduled for May 12. His sentencing hearing has been set for May 2. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, Former U.S. His sentencing is set for May 2. 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. 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. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. DeKalb County then disbursed $6.2 million of these relief funds to Stonecrest. The resolution also adopted a funding plan for most of Stonecrests relief funds. 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 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor C. Wilmot prosecuted the case. 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. Andrea V. Watson. 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 rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. 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. 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. Lary is expected to be sentenced on July 13 at 10 a.m. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID 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. Instead, prosecutors said Lary used the money to cover his own tax liabilities and pay off the mortgage on his lake house. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. Former Mayor of Stonecrest sentenced to prison for stealing COVID-19 In another case, Lary allegedly gave a church $50,000. 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. At least two candidates have publicly said theyll run to be the citys next mayor. 100 people involved in a total of $26 million in CARES Act fraud. The government said no marketing was ever done. In Larys guilty plea, he admitted to making sure that Boone was hired as Municipal Resource Partners bookkeeper. Boone, who wrote the bulk of the checks using the stolen funds, agreed with that Friday in court. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. Official websites use .gov 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. In September 2020, Jason Lary, the former Mayor of Stonecrest, allocated $5 million of the relief funds to a Small Business Program which would disburse relief funds based on applications submitted by local businesses. Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal. "Boones guilty plea further demonstrates our commitment to prosecuting those who seek to exploit COVID relief programs for their own gain. This story is breaking. His legal team is citing his health and lack of criminal record should merit a lighter sentence. The city will hold a special election on May 24 to fill the rest of the mayors term after the office was vacated by Jason Lary in January. But he was using it for his own personal needs.. In a special-called meeting, members of the Stonecrest City Council voted 4-1 to censure Lary. Lary faces up to 35 years in prison on all three counts. A locked padlock 2023 Cox Media Group. Stonecrest's former Senior Economic Development Manager pleads guilty 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. "CARES Act funds were intended to help people and businesses harmed by the pandemic, not to line the pockets of public officials entrusted to lead a community", said Philip Wislar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. 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. That decision will be made at a later date. Former Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty To Federal Fraud Charges One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. Stonecrest did not disburse the $6 million allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID 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. 2023 Cox Media Group. 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. I will show you my hairy behind next time it happens and that's the only warning I'm going to give with this.". Since Larys term was set to expire at the end of 2023, the city charter requires a special election to fill his post. The image comes from the ancient quarries where highly-trained stonemasons carefully chose the stones used in construction. Candidates must pay a $600 qualifying fee. Instead, $108,000 dollars were transferred to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront propertyowned by the former mayor. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. 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. Lary, 59, was the first mayor of Stonecrest, a DeKalb County city of about . 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. Stone clemency order shows Trump wiped prison sentence, supervised Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Lary issued a statement to FOX 5 about the censure: "My frustrations have boiled over with this council. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. 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. If the special election for the mayors seat requires a runoff election, it will take place June 21. 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 (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. He's accused of federal fraud related to COVID-19 relief funds. The mayor only votes in the event of a tie a rarity for a five-member City Council. Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges 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. Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. The Stone that the Builders Rejected Became the Cornerstone? Hopefully, he gets all of that, Morrell said. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. Boone is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12. For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. 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 mayor. This sentencing holds Lary accountable for abusing his position of trust and blatant disrespect for the law.. The U.S. Attorney's Office alleges Mayor Jason Lary misused $6.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds. Check back for details. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. Former mayor of Stonecrest pleads guilty to federal charges A bookkeeper and spouse - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Facebook U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, Former U.S. 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. "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. 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. That money was supposed to go to people like us. 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.
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