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. 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. The FBI and prosecutors found that $108,000 of relief funds were used to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront home owned by Lary, while another $7,600 was used to pay college tuition and rent for Boones son. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. The Stone that the Builders Rejected Became the Cornerstone? Lary issued a statement to FOX 5 about the censure: "My frustrations have boiled over with this council. 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. 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 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. 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 Pleads Guilty To Federal Fraud Charges 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. I let us down, he told the court, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for The phrase is quoted by Jesus, who applies it to his mission of death and glory, after having told the . Official websites use .gov 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. Lania Boone, Larys co-conspirator, pleaded guilty to conspiracy on February 11, 2022. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. 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. Around the same time, Lary directed approximately $7,600 in stolen relief funds to be used for Boones sons college tuition and rent. I will show you my hairy behind next time it happens and that's the only warning I'm going to give with this.". 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 also made the defendants wife, Lania Boone, the bookkeeper charged with distributing relief funds. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. Instead, $108,000 dollars were transferred to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront propertyowned by the former mayor. Hopefully, he gets all of that, Morrell said. "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. STONECREST, Ga. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. In January, Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. The indictment alleges that Smith stole more than $450,000 in Social Security Administration Northern District of Georgia 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. 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. Jason Lary, whose resignation. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The indictment alleges that Smith stole more than $450,000 in Social Security Administration Northern District of Georgia He also settled income taxes he owed going back to 2015. Yet Lary and others asked that these contributions be given not to Stonecrest, but to entities called Visit Us, Inc. and Battleground Media, LLC. Sandra D. Smith has been arraigned on federal charges of wire fraud and theft of government funds. Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. 100 people involved in a total of $26 million in CARES Act fraud. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. 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. His sentencing is set for May 2. A bookkeeper and spouse - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Facebook We are putting measures into place to prevent what we experienced during the meeting.. They are purposely seeking to tear down everything I have worked to build in Stonecrest. Stonecrest could hold a special election to fill the vacant mayor's seat as early as March. The potential stakes are high for offenders who break new guidelines. In September 2020, Jason Lary, then the Mayor of Stonecrest, signed a resolution acknowledging these CARES Act requirements. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. An official website of the United States government. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. The about-face came in. The city's first mayor did not mention his legal troubles in a resignation speech. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. accused of personally profiting from COVID-19 relief money. He resigned his post on Jan. 4 and accepted a plea deal the next day for concocting the scheme. In January 2021, Boone used her access to one of MRPCs bank accounts to wire transfer approximately $108,000 of relief funds to a mortgage servicing company. "Boones guilty plea further demonstrates our commitment to prosecuting those who seek to exploit COVID relief programs for their own gain. The people of Stonecrest deserved better, and corrupt officials can expect severe consequences for using their offices to commit crimes.. He said he had surgery in late December 2020. STONECREST, Ga. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the only news outlet at the hearing. Third, Lary and others acting on his behalf solicited relief funds from businesses that received grants under 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. Stonecrest did not disburse the $6 million allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program. "I came back too early from my second round with cancer. He then asked the church to give $50,000 back to one of the companies included in the scheme. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges "You don't recognize Mayor Pro Tem and council and just leave me standing there like I'm not in the meeting. 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. That decision will be made at a later date. 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. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges. For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges | AP News Lary, 60, pleaded. She also agreed to pay restitution. ATLANTA - After spending nearly a year proclaiming his innocence, former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary admitted masterminding a scheme to steal COVID relief funds. Stonecrest residents that Jones talked to were outraged. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds. He explained he needs to take some time to work with doctors and care for himself. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12. SB 300, also called the Sentencing Reform Act, would rewrite part of Proposition 115, a 1990 ballot initiative that expanded the definition of first-degree murder to include murder committed . That money was supposed to go to people like us. A lock ( "Quite frankly folks, now its turned ugly," he said during a news conference in April 2021. 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. An official website of the United States government. The population is now 60,000 with a budget of more than $13 million. In January, Jason Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. 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. 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. FORMER MAYOR ADMITS ROLE IN COVID RELIEF FRAUD SCHEME. Lary is expected to be sentenced on July 13 at 10 a.m. Lary previously denied the accusations of fraud. Lary and Boone knew the purpose of the transfer was to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront home owned by Lary. 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. . 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. The 60-year-old Lary pleaded guilty in January to fraud and theft charges. 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. Suite 600 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. 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. 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. At least two candidates have publicly said theyll run to be the citys next mayor. The three conspired to steal and misappropriate relief funds intended for struggling businesses in Stonecrest. 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, who announced his resignation as the mayor of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID Lary announced his resignation during a Zoom meeting on Tuesday. STONECREST MAYOR RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS OF CARES ACT FUNDS MISUSE. (Art by Richard Miller). 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor C. Wilmot prosecuted the case. 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. 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. A former health care executive, Lary was instrumental in convincing the General Assembly to create the city of Stonecrest along I-20 in south DeKalb County. 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. Lary asked potential recipients to kickback 25% of their grant to other companies for "marketing" purposes. . For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Stonecrest ex-mayor's cohort pleads guilty in fraud scheme 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. Those companies were all connected to Lary. 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). 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. But he was using it for his own personal needs.. Lary did not tell Church 1 at this time that he actually controlled REMC. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. Lary wont be required to report to prison until after Dec. 15, giving him time for more cancer treatments. His coconspirators previously pleaded guilty and received the following sentences: This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the DeKalb County District Attorneys Office. Lary directed $7,600 of the federal relief dollars to pay Boones sons college tuition and rent. 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 . 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Those duties include acting as the figurehead of the city and appointing members to boards and committees. Former mayor asks judge if he can serve sentence from home after ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Jason Lary, the former mayor of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty, according to a news release. 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. A locked padlock Cobbles term is set to expire in 2026, so another special election will be necessary. The former mayor of Stonecrest who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges is making a punishment request. The. The judge says Larys actions were deplorable and rejected a defense request for Lary to avoid prison time. The judge says Lary's actions were "deplorable" and rejected a defense request for Lary to avoid prison time. 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. 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 first mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to the federal charges earlier this year. 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.. 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. Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. Per federal rules, Stonecrest officials could only spend these relief funds on necessary expenditures related to . Bookkeeper admits to role helping former Stonecrest mayor steal COVID 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. "There was never an interest on anybodys part to kick back or filter money back or any of that nonsense.". He's accused of federal fraud related to COVID-19 relief funds. 2: Person of Interest. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges 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. 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. Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. Stone clemency order shows Trump wiped prison sentence, supervised 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,. Lary did not disclose he controlled these companies. 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. Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges 2022-02-12 - By Zachary Hansen zachary.hansen@ajc.com. Lary is due in court to answer for fraud allegations. 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. Jason Lary admitted he stole more than $650,000 in CARES Act money that was supposed to help struggling businesses and church. Until a new mayor is elected, the mayors responsibilities will be handled by the mayor pro tem. His sentencing is set for May 2. Have a question about Government Services? 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. Lary resigned a day before he pleaded guilty to concocting a fraud scheme to steal more than $650,000 in federal pandemic relief funds. 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. The plan also provided $5 million to the COVID-19 CARES Act Small Business Program (Small Business Program).