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 station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Main Office: Around the same time, Lary directed approximately $7,600 in stolen relief funds to be used for Boones sons college tuition and rent. Suite 600 Stonecrest sets May election date to replace mayor after guilty - ajc Boone, who wrote the bulk of the checks using the stolen funds, agreed with that Friday in court. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives. He resigned his post on Jan. 4 and accepted a plea deal the next day for concocting the scheme. The indictment alleges that Smith stole more than $450,000 in Social Security Administration Northern District of Georgia Author: 11alive.com Published: 6:24 PM EST February 11, 2022 Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. The details of Boones plea deal are similar to the one Lary accepted. 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. 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. Stonecrest was required to spend the relief funds in accordance with the CARES Act. Jason Lary admitted he stole more than $650,000 in CARES Act money that was supposed to help struggling businesses and church. 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. The censure stemmed from remarks Mayor Lary made at the end of a council meeting on Sept. 27. "Quite frankly folks, now its turned ugly," he said during a news conference in April 2021. In September 2020, Jason Lary, then the Mayor of Stonecrest, signed a resolution acknowledging these CARES Act requirements. 2022-02-12 - By Zachary Hansen zachary.hansen@ajc.com. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges. Cobbles term is set to expire in 2026, so another special election will be necessary. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Boone is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. 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. Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. Lary was arraigned in November 2021, accused of personally profiting from COVID-19 relief money. ATLANTA - After spending nearly a year proclaiming his innocence, former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary admitted masterminding a scheme to steal COVID relief funds. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Instead, $108,000 dollars were transferred to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront propertyowned by the former mayor. Former L.A. Councilmember Jose Huizar pleads guilty in corruption case "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. Former mayor of Stonecrest pleads guilty to federal charges Lary, 59, was the first mayor of Stonecrest, a DeKalb County city of about . The indictment alleges that Smith stole more than $450,000 in Social Security Administration Northern District of Georgia For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. 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. Erskine told the FOX 5 I-Team he is accused of pocketing more than $650,000. Larys last public address to his constituents delivered one last bombshell moment to his tenure. The discussion comes after the censure of Stonecrest's mayor for comments he made during a meeting. 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. Former Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty To Federal Fraud Charges 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. 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. 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. Lary resigned a day before he pleaded guilty to concocting a fraud scheme to steal more than $650,000 in federal pandemic relief funds. Lary faces up to 35 years in prison on all three counts. Charles Johnson, Sr., has pleaded guilty for not paying $1.4 million in payroll taxes and for failure to pay employment taxes. In court on Wednesday, Lary apologized to his family, friends and Stonecrest residents. The phrase is quoted by Jesus, who applies it to his mission of death and glory, after having told the . 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. 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. 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. 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Official websites use .gov If the special election for the mayors seat requires a runoff election, it will take place June 21. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]. Jason Lary, who announced his resignation as the mayor of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal. STONECREST, Ga. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. Boone was the companys bookkeeper and wrote multiple checks to disburse the funds, records show. 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 also settled income taxes he owed going back to 2015. If you have additional information, pictures, or video email newstipsatlanta@fox.com. 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. The Justice Department on Monday released President Trump's clemency order for longtime GOP operative Roger Stone showing the president not only wiped away Stone's prison sentence but also a . 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,. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges 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. Lary is free on bond. This story is breaking. Lary was supposed to be in office until the end of 2023. 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. The government said no marketing was ever done. 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. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID 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. Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. We are putting measures into place to prevent what we experienced during the meeting.. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Wilmot previously prosecuted the case. 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. 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor C. Wilmot prosecuted the case. In another case, Lary allegedly gave a church $50,000. Lary used three different methods to steal the funds Stonecrest disbursed to MRPC. 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. Lania Boone, 60, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for her role in a scheme to steal federal pandemic relief funds. DeKalb County then disbursed $6.2 million of these relief funds to Stonecrest. 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. Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty to Stealing Georgia COVID-19 Relief 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. Jason Lary admitted he stole more than $650,000 in CARES Act money that was supposed to help struggling businesses and church. Hopefully, he gets all of that, Morrell said. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges, Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges, Stonecrest mayor appeared in federal court about misusing CARES fund. All rights reserved. "Boones guilty plea further demonstrates our commitment to prosecuting those who seek to exploit COVID relief programs for their own gain. I let us down, he told the court, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Lary did not tell the businesses that he controlled these entities. Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. . The former mayor of Stonecrest who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges is making a punishment request. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds. He then asked the church to give $50,000 back to one of the companies included in the scheme. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. Lania Boone, a bookkeeper Lary hired for one of companies, admitted to helping the former mayor siphon CARES act money for personal use. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the only news outlet at the hearing. That decision will be made at a later date. Lary placed the defendant, Clarence Boone, who was then Senior Economic Development Manager for Stonecrest, in charge of overseeing the Small Business Program. "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. 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. Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges | AP News STONECREST, Ga. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. The city's first mayor did not mention his legal troubles in a resignation speech. 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. Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. Lary wont be required to report to prison until after Dec. 15, giving him time for more cancer treatments. Lary is expected to be sentenced on July 13 at 10 a.m. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call . 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. . It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. 100 people involved in a total of $26 million in CARES Act fraud. The mayor only votes in the event of a tie a rarity for a five-member City Council. Bookkeeper admits to role helping former Stonecrest mayor steal COVID 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. 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. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for The image comes from the ancient quarries where highly-trained stonemasons carefully chose the stones used in construction. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for The Stone that the Builders Rejected Became the Cornerstone? Stonecrest residents that Jones talked to were outraged. His sentencing is set for May 2. A locked padlock He faces a max sentence of 35 years in prison. A lock ( 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. . First, Lary conspired with Boone to steal relief funds before they were disbursed by MRPC. He has not been charged with a crime. "I ask that you measure me by the whole story," Lary said. Boones case matches the legal process used by Jason Lary, the founding mayor of Stonecrest. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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.. Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. Lary issued a statement to FOX 5 about the censure: "My frustrations have boiled over with this council. No stone was more important than the cornerstone because the integrity of the whole structure depended on the cornerstone containing . Lary is due in court to answer for fraud allegations. 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, officials said. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday. As you can tell with technology, it can be immature and ridiculous, and thats fine, Lary said. 2023 FOX Television Stations, resignation went into effect at 10 a.m. Wednesday, he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID-19 relief. Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges 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 Los Angeles City Councilmember Jose Huizar pleaded guilty Friday to charges of racketeering and tax evasion, admitting that he extorted at least $1.5 million in bribes from real estate . Former mayor asks judge if he can serve sentence from home after Lary asked potential recipients to kickback 25% of their grant to other companies for "marketing" purposes. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022. The first is verse 22, "The stone rejected by the builders has become the corner-stone". 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. Former Stonecrest mayor's accomplice pleads guilty to felony - ajc 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 . He said he had surgery in late December 2020. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 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. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The potential stakes are high for offenders who break new guidelines. In or about November 2020, Stonecrest published an application on its website for businesses to apply for relief funds under the Small Business Program. Since Larys term was set to expire at the end of 2023, the city charter requires a special election to fill his post.