former stonecrest mayor's accomplice pleads guilty to felony

"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. 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. It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. 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. 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. The federal government permitted DeKalb County to further disburse these relief funds to its municipalities. 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. 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. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. 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. He has not been charged with a crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor C. Wilmot prosecuted the case. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS STONECREST, Ga. Editor's note: The video above is from a previous story. "What the mayor said was unacceptable and does not represent city council," said Mayor Pro Tem George Turner. The details of Boones plea deal are similar to the one Lary accepted. Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. The people of Stonecrest deserved better, and corrupt officials can expect severe consequences for using their offices to commit crimes.. 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. February 21, 2022 Chris Butler. Jones tried to get a comment from Larys attorney after court, but he refused to make a statement. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. 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. Lary directed $7,600 of the federal relief dollars to pay Boones sons college tuition and rent. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Lary, who faces up to 35 years in prison, will be sentenced on May 2. Lary and Boone knew the purpose of the transfer was to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront home owned by Lary. Lary was supposed to be in office until the end of 2023. He said he had surgery in late December 2020. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Instead, Lary spent the money to pay his own property expenses and his dues to the Georgia Campaign Finance Committee. 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. 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. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call . 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. 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). Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. Main Office: He resigned his post on Jan. 4 and accepted a plea deal the next day for concocting the scheme. 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. 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. 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. Stonecrest was required to spend the relief funds in accordance with the CARES Act. First, Lary conspired with Boone to steal relief funds before they were disbursed by MRPC. The population is now 60,000 with a budget of more than $13 million. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds. 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. 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 image comes from the ancient quarries where highly-trained stonemasons carefully chose the stones used in construction. Prosecutors said the 59-year-old former mayor concocted a scheme to divert funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Since Larys term was set to expire at the end of 2023, the city charter requires a special election to fill his post. Lania Boone, Larys co-conspirator, pleaded guilty to conspiracy on February 11, 2022. Jason Lary was accused of stealing more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. Cobbles term is set to expire in 2026, so another special election will be necessary. Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. 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. Channel 2s Audrey Washington called and emailed Stonecrest officials about the announcement and the hack. Lary previously denied the accusations of fraud. Those companies were all connected to Lary. He explained he needs to take some time to work with doctors and care for himself. Both Boone and Lary remain out of jail on bond until their sentencing hearings. We are putting measures into place to prevent what we experienced during the meeting.. He then asked the church to give $50,000 back to one of the companies included in the scheme. The plan also provided $5 million to the COVID-19 CARES Act Small Business Program (Small Business Program). 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. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. 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. Have a question about Government Services? Lary did not disclose he controlled these companies. The last day Stonecrest residents can register to vote in time for the special election is April 25. 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. He does not have to report to prison until Dec. 15, so he can continue treatment for prostate cancer. Jason Lary, whose resignation. STONECREST MAYOR RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS OF CARES ACT FUNDS MISUSE. 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 Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the only news outlet at the hearing. Per federal rules, Stonecrest officials could only spend these relief funds on necessary expenditures related to . 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). Example video title will go here for this video, Should Be Alive Ep. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. Third, Lary and others acting on his behalf solicited relief funds from businesses that received grants under the Small Business Program. 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 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.. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. Official websites use .gov The relief funds deposited into the Visit Us and Battleground Media accounts were used by Lary to benefit himself and his associates. WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta facebook feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta twitter feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta instagram feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta youtube feed(Opens a new window), Reality star Honey Boo Boo was inside speeding Dodge Charger involved in chase with Ga. deputies, 49-year-old man shot multiple times during drug deal in northeast Atlanta, police say, A 17-year-old Gwinnett County girl thought she was taking Percocet; now shes dead, Man rescued after being accidentally buried alive in Cherokee County, Our capital city will die: Georgia senators reject proposal to separate Buckhead from Atlanta. "Boones guilty plea further demonstrates our commitment to prosecuting those who seek to exploit COVID relief programs for their own gain. "If you don't know protocol, you better learn it with me," said Lary. Lary asked potential recipients to kickback 25% of their grant to other companies for "marketing" purposes. The judge says Larys actions were deplorable and rejected a defense request for Lary to avoid prison time. "I ask that you measure me by the whole story," Lary said. Lania Boone pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft on February 11, 2022. Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. 2023 Cox Media Group. 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. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. I let us down, he told the court, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $119,607.69. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. 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, 60, pleaded. In January, Jason Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. As mayor, he took control of who received $6.2 million in CARES Act money. Lock No stone was more important than the cornerstone because the integrity of the whole structure depended on the cornerstone containing . 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. In September 2020, Jason Lary, then the Mayor of Stonecrest, signed a resolution acknowledging these CARES Act requirements. The church was then told to contribute $4,500 to REMC, which officials say the mayor used to pay his own property expenses and dues. FORMER MAYOR ADMITS ROLE IN COVID RELIEF FRAUD SCHEME. 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. "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. 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. I will show you my hairy behind next time it happens and that's the only warning I'm going to give with this.".