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. 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. Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges, Former mayor of Stonecrest, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID-19 relief funds, LIST: Schools across Georgia closing early ahead of possible severe weather, Gallery of storm damage across GA: Send us your photos, videos, Firefighters rescue Cherokee County man buried up to his neck in trench, Excel Church gives despite recovery from fire, Father and 9-month-old daughter reported missing in Clayton County, 26-year-old woman shot while driving in Decatur, Sign up for Atlanta News First Newsletters. "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. Hardworking people like us, Will Morrell said. Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. 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 relief funds were designed to cover costs during the public health emergency. 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. 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 60-year-old Lary pleaded guilty in January to fraud and theft charges. That money was supposed to go to people like us. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. Cobbles term is set to expire in 2026, so another special election will be necessary. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, Former U.S. Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. 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. Suite 600
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. 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.. This sentencing holds Lary accountable for abusing his position of trust and blatant disrespect for the law.. Until a new mayor is elected, the mayors responsibilities will be handled by the mayor pro tem. 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. FORMER MAYOR ADMITS ROLE IN COVID RELIEF FRAUD SCHEME. Erskine told the FOX 5 I-Team he is accused of pocketing more than $650,000. Lary also made the defendants wife, Lania Boone, the bookkeeper charged with distributing relief funds. Those companies were all connected to 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. 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. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW
This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Lania Boone, a bookkeeper Lary hired for one of companies, admitted to helping the former mayor siphon CARES act money for personal use. Jason Lary stole more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds meant to help the. 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. Boones case matches the legal process used by Jason Lary, the founding mayor of Stonecrest. Example video title will go here for this video, Should Be Alive Ep. Boone was the companys bookkeeper and wrote multiple checks to disburse the funds, records show. The indictment alleges that Smith stole more than $450,000 in Social Security Administration Northern District of Georgia
The federal government permitted DeKalb County to further disburse these relief funds to its municipalities. He does not have to report to prison until Dec. 15, so he can continue treatment for prostate cancer. "Quite frankly folks, now its turned ugly," he said during a news conference in April 2021. "There was never an interest on anybodys part to kick back or filter money back or any of that nonsense.". 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. 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. The last day Stonecrest residents can register to vote in time for the special election is April 25. Lary won the mayors race twice, the citys only mayor in its brief history. 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 first mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to the federal charges earlier this year. 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. 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. Jason Lary admitted he stole more than $650,000 in CARES Act money that was supposed to help struggling businesses and church. A locked padlock 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. City leaders have not chosen a specific location for the special election to be held. Boone, who wrote the bulk of the checks using the stolen funds, agreed with that Friday in court. 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. The city of Stonecrest could hold a special election as early as March to decide Larys replacement. Lary did not tell Church 1 at this time that he actually controlled REMC. The judge says Larys actions were deplorable and rejected a defense request for Lary to avoid prison time. Lary, 59, was the first mayor of Stonecrest, a DeKalb County city of about . 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. Larys last public address to his constituents delivered one last bombshell moment to his tenure. Puede participar en nuestro ensayo sobre EPOC? During a struggle to implement new city manager, Lary said he was facing what could be his third battle with cancer. 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. 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. The plan also provided $5 million to the COVID-19 CARES Act Small Business Program (Small Business Program). Jason Lary, whose resignation. A Georgia Senator said he was unsurprised to hear about the indictment. 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. His sentencing is set for May 2. 2022-02-12 - By Zachary Hansen zachary.hansen@ajc.com. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]. In one case, federal investigators alleged that Lary gave a church $150,000 under the condition that they would give a third of the money to a company called Real Estate Management Consultants LLC, which Lary controlled. The population is now 60,000 with a budget of more than $13 million. For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. 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. The judge says Lary's actions were "deplorable" and rejected a defense request for Lary to avoid prison time. Charles Johnson, Sr., has pleaded guilty for not paying $1.4 million in payroll taxes and for failure to pay employment taxes. 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 judge will have the final say on her sentencing; her conspiracy charge carries a maximum of five years behind bars. 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. 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. 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,. I will show you my hairy behind next time it happens and that's the only warning I'm going to give with this.". Lary previously denied the accusations of fraud. 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. He then asked the church to give $50,000 back to one of the companies included in the scheme. Stonecrest did not disburse the $6 million allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds. But he was using it for his own personal needs.. This sentencing holds Lary accountable for abusing his position of trust and blatant disrespect for the law.. Around October 2021, the United States seized approximately $480,000 of fraud proceeds held in the bank accounts of Visit Us and Battleground Media. Lock In January, Jason Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. 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. 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 . Lania Boone, 60, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for her role in a scheme to steal federal pandemic relief funds. 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. Have a question about Government Services? Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford, Chief of Public Integrity and Civil Rights, is prosecuting the case. 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. 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 issued a statement to FOX 5 about the censure: "My frustrations have boiled over with this council. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. A bookkeeper was also involved in the scheme and arraigned, records show. The first is verse 22, "The stone rejected by the builders has become the corner-stone". 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. 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. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. Lary is free on bond. If you have additional information, pictures, or video email newstipsatlanta@fox.com. It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. 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. Per federal rules, Stonecrest officials could only spend these relief funds on necessary expenditures related to . "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.". STONECREST MAYOR RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS OF CARES ACT FUNDS MISUSE. Lary was supposed to be in office until the end of 2023. 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. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. 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. Jason Lary, who announced his resignation as the mayor of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal. "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. "I came back too early from my second round with cancer. 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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. 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. 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. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. His resignation went into effect Wednesday. Lania Boone pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft on February 11, 2022. 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. 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. 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 previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor C. Wilmot prosecuted the case. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12. 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. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call . His resignation went into effect Wednesday. 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. I should've stayed out for several months, but circumstances prevailed where I needed to come back earlier," Lary said. 2: Person of Interest. 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. 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. . Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. 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.. 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. Lary and Boone knew the purpose of the transfer was to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront home owned by Lary. Wilmot said Lary used some of that stolen money to pay off the $108,147 mortgage on his lakefront home in Macon. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Lary was also ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution as well. 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. "I did the best I could do with what we had in place.". STONECREST MAYOR JASON LARY RESIGNS DAY BEFORE FEDERAL COURT DATE, FORMER STONECREST MAYOR ADMINS ROLE IN COVID RELIEF FRAUD SCHEME. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. "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. No stone was more important than the cornerstone because the integrity of the whole structure depended on the cornerstone containing . Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. Lania Boone, Larys co-conspirator, pleaded guilty to conspiracy on February 11, 2022. The plan provided $1 million to the Stonecrest Cares Program for mask distribution, COVID-19 education and testing, and other purposes. 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. 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. She also agreed to pay restitution. In January, Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. He declined to say what type of cancer he is battling but said it seems to be resurfacing for the third time. Stonecrest could hold a special election to fill the vacant mayor's seat as early as March. 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. 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. In another case, Lary allegedly gave a church $50,000. 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. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Lary resigned a day before he pleaded guilty to. "It's time for me to retire from politics and focus on my health," Lary said. Since Larys term was set to expire at the end of 2023, the city charter requires a special election to fill his post. 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.
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