former stonecrest mayor's accomplice pleads guilty to felony

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. Stonecrest could hold a special election to fill the vacant mayor's seat as early as March. 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. 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. 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. Former mayor of metro Atlanta city pleads guilty to fraud Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. 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. 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. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. He said he had surgery in late December 2020. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID 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 . 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,. Wilmot said Lary used some of that stolen money to pay off the $108,147 mortgage on his lakefront home in Macon. It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. Since Larys term was set to expire at the end of 2023, the city charter requires a special election to fill his post. 2023 Cox Media Group. The qualification period will take place roughly a month before the election date, and it must end 25 days before the election takes place. STONECREST, Ga. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. Stonecrest did not disburse the $6 million allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program. 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. 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. 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Stonecrest's Jason Lary COVID funds fraud case - 11Alive.com 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. In total, businesses were defrauded out of hundreds of thousands of dollars of relief funds. 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. They are purposely seeking to tear down everything I have worked to build in Stonecrest. 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. Lary, 60, pleaded. The federal government permitted DeKalb County to further disburse these relief funds to its municipalities. 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. Lock The city's first mayor did not mention his legal troubles in a resignation speech. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds. His plea came the same morning his resignation as mayor of Stonecrest became official. Roger Stone prosecutors quit after furor over Trump ally's sentence - CNBC The. Lary asked potential recipients to kickback 25% of their grant to other companies for "marketing" purposes. He 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 USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. A judge will have the final say on her sentencing; her conspiracy charge carries a maximum of five years behind bars. 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. Until a new mayor is elected, the mayors responsibilities will be handled by the mayor pro tem. Residents will soon get a chance to elect a new mayor in Stonecrest. 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. Charles Johnson, Sr., has pleaded guilty for not paying $1.4 million in payroll taxes and for failure to pay employment taxes. The plan also provided $5 million to the COVID-19 CARES Act Small Business Program (Small Business Program). He also resigned as the citys mayor. 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. The former mayor of Stonecrest who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges is making a punishment request. Former Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty To Federal Fraud Charges He has not been charged with a crime. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12. Lary and Boone knew the purpose of the transfer was to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront home owned by Lary. He resigned his post on Jan. 4 and accepted a plea deal the next day for concocting the scheme. Sandra D. Smith has been arraigned on federal charges of wire fraud and theft of government funds. Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges The population is now 60,000 with a budget of more than $13 million. 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. Larys last public address to his constituents delivered one last bombshell moment to his tenure. Former Stonecrest mayor's accomplice pleads guilty to felony - ajc The mayor only votes in the event of a tie a rarity for a five-member City Council. "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. Hopefully, he gets all of that, Morrell said. 2023 Cox Media Group. Jones tried to get a comment from Larys attorney after court, but he refused to make a statement. 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A locked padlock Inpractice, the Stonecrest Cares Program directed relief funds to churches and non-profit organizations in and around Stonecrest. Jason Lary admitted he stole more than $650,000 in CARES Act money that was supposed to help struggling businesses and church. Boone is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12. 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. If you have additional information, pictures, or video email newstipsatlanta@fox.com. Richard B. Russell Federal Building This man's imprisonment shows why California's 'special circumstances 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. 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 . 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. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID FORMER MAYOR ADMITS ROLE IN COVID RELIEF FRAUD SCHEME. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives. Lock The judge says Larys actions were deplorable and rejected a defense request for Lary to avoid prison time. This article originally appeared on the Decatur-Avondale Estates Patch, Reports: 3 children dead, 2 wounded in attack at Texas home, Kellyanne Conway, George Conway To Divorce After Decadeslong Marriage: Report, School punished teen girl for working out in sports bra in 100-degree Texas heat, ACLU says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, 'Extremely dangerous': Spike in illegal crossings at Canada-Vermont border has feds sounding alarm, SoCal in for cool start to weekend, butlight showers make brief return. . Lary and others falsely claimed that the money would be each businesss contribution to Stonecrest-related marketing and advertising. 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. 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. Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. . Main Office: The indictment alleges that Smith stole more than $450,000 in Social Security Administration Northern District of Georgia Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. 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. Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. 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. 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. 2: Person of Interest. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Lary faces up to 35 years in prison on all three counts. A locked padlock I will show you my hairy behind next time it happens and that's the only warning I'm going to give with this.". 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. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Former mayor admits role in COVID relief fraud scheme The government said no marketing was ever done. First, Lary conspired with Boone to steal relief funds before they were disbursed by MRPC. Per federal rules, Stonecrest officials could only spend these relief funds on necessary expenditures related to . 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. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Instead Lary worked behind the scenes to form a private company, Municipal Resource Partners Corporation, Inc. (MRPC), recruit its CEO, open its bank accounts, and ensure that Lania Boone, his convicted co-conspirator, would be hired as MRPCs bookkeeper. 2022-02-12 - By Zachary Hansen zachary.hansen@ajc.com. 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. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022. STONECREST, Ga. Editor's note: The video above is from a previous story. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, Former U.S. 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 . 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. accused of personally profiting from COVID-19 relief money. 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 resignation as mayor of Stonecrest became official. Example video title will go here for this video, Should Be Alive Ep. 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. A bookkeeper was also involved in the scheme and arraigned, records show. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday. In January, Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. February 21, 2022 Chris Butler. Have a question about Government Services? Lania Boone, a bookkeeper Lary hired for one of companies, admitted to helping the former mayor siphon CARES act money for personal use. Deana Timberlake-Wiley, Boones attorney, and federal prosecutors declined to comment. Lania Boone, 60, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for her role in a scheme to steal federal pandemic relief 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. 100 people involved in a total of $26 million in CARES Act fraud. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of - MSN The relief funds were designed to cover costs during the public health emergency. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]. In court on Wednesday, Lary apologized to his family, friends and Stonecrest residents. 2021 5 Feb. "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone" ( Psalm 118:22 ). Boone was the companys bookkeeper and wrote multiple checks to disburse the funds, records show. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Around the same time, Lary directed approximately $7,600 in stolen relief funds to be used for Boones sons college tuition and rent. 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. Check back for details. The 60-year-old Lary pleaded guilty in January to fraud and theft charges. Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges - CBS 46 Stonecrest was required to spend the relief funds in accordance with the CARES Act. Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. Then, Lary caused the city to enter a contract with MPRC to disburse the relief funds as directed by Stonecrest. 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. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. Lary issued a statement to FOX 5 about the censure: "My frustrations have boiled over with this council. Puede participar en nuestro ensayo sobre EPOC? Official websites use .gov 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. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. 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. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call . Yet Lary and others asked that these contributions be given not to Stonecrest, but to entities called Visit Us, Inc. and Battleground Media, LLC. STONECREST MAYOR RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS OF CARES ACT FUNDS MISUSE. Lary did not disclose he controlled these companies. 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. 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 lock ( 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. "Larys guilty plea was the first in righting the wrongs committed against the people of Stonecrest, who were wrongfully deprived of hundreds of thousands of dollars intended to provide COVID-19 relief," said U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. 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. 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. The resolution also adopted a funding plan for most of Stonecrests relief funds. That money was supposed to go to people like us. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW Around October 2021, the United States seized approximately $480,000 of fraud proceeds held in the bank accounts of Visit Us and Battleground Media. 2023 FOX Television Stations. 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. 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. This sentencing holds Lary accountable for abusing his position of trust and blatant disrespect for the law.. Stonecrest sets May election date to replace mayor after guilty - ajc Former L.A. Councilmember Jose Huizar pleads guilty in corruption case Lary was also ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution as well. He then asked the church to give $50,000 back to one of the companies included in the scheme. Lary did not tell Church 1 at this time that he actually controlled REMC. Channel 2s Audrey Washington called and emailed Stonecrest officials about the announcement and the hack. The 45-minute Zoom call in which he announced his resignation was hacked and briefly displayed a video game and then a brief snippet of pornography. Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, Former U.S. 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. 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. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. 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. Lary, 60, pleaded guilty in January to wire fraud, federal program theft and conspiracy to commit federal program theft. "I did the best I could do with what we had in place.". 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. A bookkeeper and spouse - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Facebook 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. Suite 600 For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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