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. 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,. 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. "Instead of providing aid to Stonecrests deserving citizens, Lary allegedly diverted funds for his own use, including to pay off his taxes and the mortgage on his lakefront home.". DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. He then asked the church to give $50,000 back to one of the companies included in the scheme. He has not been charged with a crime. 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. Boone is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12. Lania Boone, a bookkeeper Lary hired for one of companies, admitted to helping the former mayor siphon CARES act money for personal use. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Lary did not disclose he controlled these companies. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW No stone was more important than the cornerstone because the integrity of the whole structure depended on the cornerstone containing . accused of personally profiting from COVID-19 relief money. Until a new mayor is elected, the mayors responsibilities will be handled by the mayor pro tem. Jason Lary admitted he stole more than $650,000 in CARES Act money that was supposed to help struggling businesses and church. The censure stemmed from remarks Mayor Lary made at the end of a council meeting on Sept. 27. 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. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the only news outlet at the hearing. This sentencing holds Lary accountable for abusing his position of trust and blatant disrespect for the law.. 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. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, Former U.S. The qualification period will take place roughly a month before the election date, and it must end 25 days before the election takes place. He resigned his post on Jan. 4 and accepted a plea deal the next day for concocting the scheme. 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 citys founding mayor. 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. The relief funds deposited into the Visit Us and Battleground Media accounts were used by Lary to benefit himself and his associates. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Puede participar en nuestro ensayo sobre EPOC? 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. 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. The U.S. Attorney's Office alleges Mayor Jason Lary misused $6.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds. 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. Around the same time, Lary directed approximately $7,600 in stolen relief funds to be used for Boones sons college tuition and rent. His plea came the same morning his resignation as mayor of Stonecrest became official. 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. 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. 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. 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. At least two candidates have publicly said theyll run to be the citys next mayor. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, Former U.S. A locked padlock 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. Instead, Lary spent the money to pay his own property expenses and his dues to the Georgia Campaign Finance Committee. He also settled income taxes he owed going back to 2015. His resignation went into effect Wednesday. If you have additional information, pictures, or video email newstipsatlanta@fox.com. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. A locked padlock 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. 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. 2023 Cox Media Group. Lary did not tell the businesses that he controlled these entities. Lary directed $7,600 of the federal relief dollars to pay Boones sons college tuition and rent. But he was using it for his own personal needs.. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 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. 2: Person of Interest. Lary is due in court to answer for fraud allegations. Then, Lary caused the city to enter a contract with MPRC to disburse the relief funds as directed by Stonecrest. As you can tell with technology, it can be immature and ridiculous, and thats fine, Lary said. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. Boone was the companys bookkeeper and wrote multiple checks to disburse the funds, records show. 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 first is verse 22, "The stone rejected by the builders has become the corner-stone". 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. 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 . Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges. He's accused of federal fraud related to COVID-19 relief funds. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. STONECREST, Ga. - A bookkeeper hired by former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to conspiracy for her part in a scheme to steal COVID relief funds. I let us down, he told the court, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since Larys term was set to expire at the end of 2023, the city charter requires a special election to fill his post. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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 story is breaking. Official websites use .gov The Internet address for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. Both Boone and Lary remain out of jail on bond until their sentencing hearings. 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 faces up to 35 years in prison on all three counts. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday. Boone, who wrote the bulk of the checks using the stolen funds, agreed with that Friday in court. Yet Lary and others asked that these contributions be given not to Stonecrest, but to entities called Visit Us, Inc. and Battleground Media, LLC. 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 is expected to be sentenced on July 13 at 10 a.m. 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. ATLANTA - After spending nearly a year proclaiming his innocence, former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary admitted masterminding a scheme to steal COVID relief funds. The government said no marketing was ever done. Hopefully, he gets all of that, Morrell said. 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. 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. 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. Instead, prosecutors said Lary used the money to cover his own tax liabilities and pay off the mortgage on his lake house. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $119,607.69. 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. 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. . Main Office: 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. Boones case matches the legal process used by Jason Lary, the founding mayor of Stonecrest. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS "Boones guilty plea further demonstrates our commitment to prosecuting those who seek to exploit COVID relief programs for their own gain. Author: 11alive.com Published: 6:24 PM EST February 11, 2022 Lary announced his resignation during a Zoom meeting on Tuesday. Jason Lary was accused of stealing more than. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds. For example, Lary used relief funds held by Visit Us to pay for an associates political advertising. Lary did not tell Church 1 at this time that he actually controlled REMC. 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. Jason Lary stole more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds meant to help the. The about-face came in. Jason Lary, whose resignation. 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. A bookkeeper was also involved in the scheme and arraigned, records show. 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. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Lary previously denied the accusations of fraud. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges. Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. 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. "If you don't know protocol, you better learn it with me," said Lary. 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. 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. "I did the best I could do with what we had in place.". Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. 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. Check back for details. 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. In Larys guilty plea, he admitted to making sure that Boone was hired as Municipal Resource Partners bookkeeper. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Lary, 59, was the first mayor of Stonecrest, a DeKalb County city of about . Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. The discussion comes after the censure of Stonecrest's mayor for comments he made during a meeting. ATLANTA (AP) A suburban Atlanta mayor pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges a day after announcing his resignation from office. We will continue to uncover and prosecute those who exploit government positions and COVID relief programs to fuel their own greed., 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 Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. He faces a max sentence of 35 years in prison. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. 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. She also agreed to pay restitution. DeKalb County then disbursed $6.2 million of these relief funds to Stonecrest. The 60-year-old Lary pleaded guilty in January to fraud and theft charges. Erskine told the FOX 5 I-Team he is accused of pocketing more than $650,000. "Quite frankly folks, now its turned ugly," he said during a news conference in April 2021. A Georgia Senator said he was unsurprised to hear about the indictment. Stonecrest residents that Jones talked to were outraged. Earlier this year, Lary pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud, conspiracy and federal program theft for his role in stealing more than $650,000. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Lary, 60, pleaded. His sentencing is set for May 2. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. Lary was supposed to be in office until the end of 2023. In another case, Lary allegedly gave a church $50,000. 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. 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. and were incurred during the period that [began] on March 1, 2020, and [ended] on December 30, 2020. Examples of eligible expenditures were medical expenses, public health expenses, and grants to small businesses to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures. 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. I will show you my hairy behind next time it happens and that's the only warning I'm going to give with this.". (FOX 5). First, Lary conspired with Boone to steal relief funds before they were disbursed by MRPC. 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. Example video title will go here for this video, Should Be Alive Ep. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]. Lary betrayed the trust placed in him by the citizens of Stonecrest by stealing the very funds meant to help his constituents weather the COVID-19 pandemic, said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. 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 was also ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution as well. As mayor, he took control of who received $6.2 million in CARES Act money. Sandra D. Smith has been arraigned on federal charges of wire fraud and theft of government funds. The phrase is quoted by Jesus, who applies it to his mission of death and glory, after having told the . FORMER MAYOR ADMITS ROLE IN COVID RELIEF FRAUD SCHEME. "The question of compassion to this Honorable Court is what is the appropriate sentenced for the conduct of this Defendant who, when confronted 'fessed up' and avoided costly indictment and made good faith efforts to cooperate with the Government," court documents read. In January, Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday.. If the special election for the mayors seat requires a runoff election, it will take place June 21. Residents will soon get a chance to elect a new mayor in Stonecrest. 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. "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. An official website of the United States government. 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. He does not have to report to prison until Dec. 15, so he can continue treatment for prostate cancer. 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. 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 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. 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. Lary betrayed the trust placed in him by the citizens of Stonecrest by stealing the very funds meant to help his constituents weather the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan said. Channel 2s Audrey Washington called and emailed Stonecrest officials about the announcement and the hack. The people of Stonecrest deserved better, and corrupt officials can expect severe consequences for using their offices to commit crimes.. Deana Timberlake-Wiley, Boones attorney, and federal prosecutors declined to comment. His resignation went into effect Wednesday. 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. He explained he needs to take some time to work with doctors and care for himself. 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. The first mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to the federal charges earlier this year. 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. 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). Jason Lary, who announced his resignation as the mayor of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal. Lary is accused of stealing more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds meant to help the people of Stonecrest who he was supposed to serve. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. During a struggle to implement new city manager, Lary said he was facing what could be his third battle with cancer. He then asked the church to give $50,000 back to one of the companies included in the scheme. "You don't recognize Mayor Pro Tem and council and just leave me standing there like I'm not in the meeting. 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. Lania Boone, 60, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for her role in a scheme to steal federal pandemic relief funds. 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. Boone agreed to cooperate with government agents, provide records and testify at future trials. February 21, 2022 Chris Butler. Richard B. Russell Federal Building He also resigned as the citys mayor. That money was supposed to go to people like us. The 60-year-old Lary pleaded guilty in January to fraud and theft charges. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Wilmot previously prosecuted the case.

Girl Meets Farm Recipes Falafel, Who Is The Most Famous Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader?, Pinehurst, Nc Homes For Sale By Owner, Bwf World Championships Results, Pine County Sheriff News, Articles F