A bookkeeper was also involved in the scheme and arraigned, records show. He faces a max sentence of 35 years in prison. The city of Stonecrest could hold a special election as early as March to decide Larys replacement. In Larys guilty plea, he admitted to making sure that Boone was hired as Municipal Resource Partners bookkeeper. The former mayor of Stonecrest who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges is making a punishment request. Puede participar en nuestro ensayo sobre EPOC? Around October 2021, the United States seized approximately $480,000 of fraud proceeds held in the bank accounts of Visit Us and Battleground Media. Father defends terrified family with machete after home intruder breaks through window in middle of night, Paolo Banchero scores 31 points, Magic beat Hornets 117-106. 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. 2023 Cox Media Group. "Quite frankly folks, now its turned ugly," he said during a news conference in April 2021. 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. 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Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. Around the same time, Lary directed approximately $7,600 in stolen relief funds to be used for Boones sons college tuition and rent. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. He explained he needs to take some time to work with doctors and care for himself. Lary resigned a day before he pleaded guilty to concocting a fraud scheme to steal more than $650,000 in federal pandemic relief funds. 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.. The population is now 60,000 with a budget of more than $13 million. Andrea V. Watson. Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. 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. "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. 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. 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. 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. Candidates must pay a $600 qualifying fee. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $119,607.69. 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. Those companies were all connected to Lary. He then asked the church to give $50,000 back to one of the companies included in the scheme. STONECREST MAYOR RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS OF CARES ACT FUNDS MISUSE. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds In January, Jason Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. 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 government said no marketing was ever done. Lary is expected to be sentenced on July 13 at 10 a.m. 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. 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. 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 also made the defendants wife, Lania Boone, the bookkeeper charged with distributing relief funds. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. The judge says Larys actions were deplorable and rejected a defense request for Lary to avoid prison time. 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. Then, Lary caused the city to enter a contract with MPRC to disburse the relief funds as directed by Stonecrest. 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.. Suite 600 One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. 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. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. 2: Person of Interest. A judge will have the final say on her sentencing; her conspiracy charge carries a maximum of five years behind bars. 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. Lary is due in court to answer for fraud allegations. 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. Lary did not tell Church 1 at this time that he actually controlled REMC. Lary was also ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution as well. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. 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. Cobbles term is set to expire in 2026, so another special election will be necessary. This story is breaking. He said he had surgery in late December 2020. 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. 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. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. 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 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. Lary previously denied the accusations of fraud. In general, according to the Department of the Treasury, relief funds could only be used to cover costs that [were] necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency. 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 pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft on February 11, 2022. 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. Lary, 60, pleaded. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. 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 . The last day Stonecrest residents can register to vote in time for the special election is April 25. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12. "You don't recognize Mayor Pro Tem and council and just leave me standing there like I'm not in the meeting. A lock ( Channel 2s Audrey Washington called and emailed Stonecrest officials about the announcement and the hack. Instead, $108,000 dollars were transferred to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront propertyowned by the former mayor. We are putting measures into place to prevent what we experienced during the meeting.. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 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. He resigned his post on Jan. 4 and accepted a plea deal the next day for concocting the scheme. In January, Jason Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]. Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. The first is verse 22, "The stone rejected by the builders has become the corner-stone". 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. The phrase is quoted by Jesus, who applies it to his mission of death and glory, after having told the . ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The. Boone agreed to cooperate with government agents, provide records and testify at future trials. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW 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. 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. His sentencing hearing has been set for May 2. The image comes from the ancient quarries where highly-trained stonemasons carefully chose the stones used in construction. 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. Since Larys term was set to expire at the end of 2023, the city charter requires a special election to fill his post. 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. I will show you my hairy behind next time it happens and that's the only warning I'm going to give with this.". The relief funds deposited into the Visit Us and Battleground Media accounts were used by Lary to benefit himself and his associates. For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. This sentencing holds Lary accountable for abusing his position of trust and blatant disrespect for the law.. 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. Lary directed $7,600 of the federal relief dollars to pay Boones sons college tuition and rent. The qualification period will take place roughly a month before the election date, and it must end 25 days before the election takes place. This sentencing holds Lary accountable for abusing his position of trust and blatant disrespect for the law.. 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. 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. Lary did not tell the businesses that he controlled these entities. If the special election for the mayors seat requires a runoff election, it will take place June 21. Lary did not disclose he controlled these companies. Deana Timberlake-Wiley, Boones attorney, and federal prosecutors declined to comment. In or about November 2020, Stonecrest published an application on its website for businesses to apply for relief funds under the Small Business Program. City leaders have not chosen a specific location for the special election to be held. Official websites use .gov 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. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges. STONECREST, Ga. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Author: 11alive.com Published: 6:24 PM EST February 11, 2022 Prosecutors said the 59-year-old former mayor concocted a scheme to divert funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. 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. Wilmot said Lary used some of that stolen money to pay off the $108,147 mortgage on his lakefront home in Macon. In a special-called meeting, members of the Stonecrest City Council voted 4-1 to censure Lary. 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. It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. 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. Jason Lary was accused of stealing more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. The U.S. Attorney's Office alleges Mayor Jason Lary misused $6.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds. The resolution also adopted a funding plan for most of Stonecrests relief funds. Charles Johnson, Sr., has pleaded guilty for not paying $1.4 million in payroll taxes and for failure to pay employment taxes. An official website of the United States government. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. All rights reserved. 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. 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. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Check back for details. 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. Erskine told the FOX 5 I-Team he is accused of pocketing more than $650,000. The first mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to the federal charges earlier this year. 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. Lania Boone, 60, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for her role in a scheme to steal federal pandemic relief funds. Lock Official websites use .gov Lary issued a statement to FOX 5 about the censure: "My frustrations have boiled over with this council. 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 Tuesday.. Lary continued with the meeting after an IT tech fixed the problem. "The FBI will do everything in our power to make sure stolen funds are returned to the public, and individuals involved in this type of criminal behavior are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.". This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Lary and others falsely claimed that the money would be each businesss contribution to Stonecrest-related marketing and advertising. The DeKalb County District Attorneys Office will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to bring these bad actors to justice, said DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston. We have no response about the Mayors resignation, city officials said. Inpractice, the Stonecrest Cares Program directed relief funds to churches and non-profit organizations in and around Stonecrest. Jason Lary, who announced his resignation as the mayor of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal. 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. 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.
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