former stonecrest mayor's accomplice pleads guilty to felony

Lary used three different methods to steal the funds Stonecrest disbursed to MRPC. In Larys guilty plea, he admitted to making sure that Boone was hired as Municipal Resource Partners bookkeeper. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Instead, prosecutors said Lary used the money to cover his own tax liabilities and pay off the mortgage on his lake house. Jason Lary was accused of stealing more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. Lania Boone pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft on February 11, 2022. His resignation went into effect Wednesday. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS He has not been charged with a crime. Instead, Lary spent the money to pay his own property expenses and his dues to the Georgia Campaign Finance Committee. 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. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday. Lary allegedly had the city improperly enter into a contract with a recently founded nonprofit, Municipal Resource Partners Corporation, to distribute the citys funds as a way to siphon money toward himself and cohorts. Official websites use .gov 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. Charles Johnson, Sr., has pleaded guilty for not paying $1.4 million in payroll taxes and for failure to pay employment taxes. 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.. 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. The FBI will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure stolen relief funds are returned to the public, and individuals involved in this type of fraud are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.. Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford, Chief of Public Integrity and Civil Rights, is prosecuting the case. 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. Lania Boone, a bookkeeper Lary hired for one of companies, admitted to helping the former mayor siphon CARES act money for personal use. Then, Lary caused the city to enter a contract with MPRC to disburse the relief funds as directed by Stonecrest. 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. Stonecrest could hold a special election to fill the vacant mayor's seat as early as March. A Georgia Senator said he was unsurprised to hear about the indictment. The plan provided $1 million to the Stonecrest Cares Program for mask distribution, COVID-19 education and testing, and other purposes. Richard B. Russell Federal Building The potential stakes are high for offenders who break new guidelines. At least two candidates have publicly said theyll run to be the citys next mayor. 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). He declined to say what type of cancer he is battling but said it seems to be resurfacing for the third time. 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. Jason Lary, the former mayor of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty, according to a news release. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. In return, prosecutors recommended a lighter sentence of 366 days in confinement half in prison and half as home arrest. But he was using it for his own personal needs.. 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. 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. Lock Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Lania Boone, Larys co-conspirator, pleaded guilty to conspiracy on February 11, 2022. Instead, $108,000 dollars were transferred to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront propertyowned by the former mayor. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW Official websites use .gov I should've stayed out for several months, but circumstances prevailed where I needed to come back earlier," Lary said. 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. Suite 600 The relief funds deposited into the Visit Us and Battleground Media accounts were used by Lary to benefit himself and his associates. A locked padlock Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. 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. (FOX 5). 100 people involved in a total of $26 million in CARES Act fraud. 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. 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. Lary faces up to 35 years in prison on all three counts. For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. A lock ( 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,. The people of Stonecrest deserved better, and corrupt officials can expect severe consequences for using their offices to commit crimes.. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds. 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. 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. "Boones guilty plea further demonstrates our commitment to prosecuting those who seek to exploit COVID relief programs for their own gain. 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. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Wilmot previously prosecuted the case. First, Lary conspired with Boone to steal relief funds before they were disbursed by MRPC. The plan also provided $5 million to the COVID-19 CARES Act Small Business Program (Small Business Program). Lary was arraigned in November 2021, accused of personally profiting from COVID-19 relief money. In September 2020, Jason Lary, then the Mayor of Stonecrest, signed a resolution acknowledging these CARES Act requirements. 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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 was also involved in the scheme and arraigned, records show. Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal. 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. Boone, who wrote the bulk of the checks using the stolen funds, agreed with that Friday in court. The federal government permitted DeKalb County to further disburse these relief funds to its municipalities. "I came back too early from my second round with cancer. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. 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. In or about November 2020, Stonecrest published an application on its website for businesses to apply for relief funds under the Small Business Program. STONECREST, Ga. Editor's note: The video above is from a previous story. She also agreed to pay restitution. 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. 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. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. 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. "It's time for me to retire from politics and focus on my health," Lary said. Both Boone and Lary remain out of jail on bond until their sentencing hearings. Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. 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. During a struggle to implement new city manager, Lary said he was facing what could be his third battle with cancer. As you can tell with technology, it can be immature and ridiculous, and thats fine, Lary said.

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