He also resigned as the citys mayor. 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. 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. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. Candidates must pay a $600 qualifying fee. "Mr. Lary has serious health challenges and at age 60 the Defendant finds himself facing a legacy of criminal history that is and was 'money motivated,' and not violence or physical harm to others, nor drug related," his legal team writes in a sentencing memorandum filed with the court. 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 . Have a question about Government Services? "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. 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. Main Office: BREAKING: A bookkeeper - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Facebook 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 former mayor of Stonecrest who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges is making a punishment request. 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. Those duties include acting as the figurehead of the city and appointing members to boards and committees. A lock ( His sentencing hearing has been set for May 2. "Quite frankly folks, now its turned ugly," he said during a news conference in April 2021. 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.. Andrea V. Watson. 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 U.S. Attorney's Office alleges Mayor Jason Lary misused $6.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds. 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. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday.. In another case, Lary allegedly gave a church $50,000. Court documents show he was arraigned on the charges after relief funds expected to be allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program never made it to the city initiatives. Lania Boone, Larys co-conspirator, pleaded guilty to conspiracy on February 11, 2022. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Wilmot previously prosecuted the case. 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. Jones tried to get a comment from Larys attorney after court, but he refused to make a statement. Author: 11alive.com Published: 6:24 PM EST February 11, 2022 Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal. Lania Boone, 60, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for her role in a scheme to steal federal pandemic relief funds. In September 2020, Jason Lary, then the Mayor of Stonecrest, signed a resolution acknowledging these CARES Act requirements. 2023 Cox Media Group. He has not been charged with a crime. 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, said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. We have no response about the Mayors resignation, city officials said. "I ask that you measure me by the whole story," Lary said. He explained he needs to take some time to work with doctors and care for himself. Both Boone and Lary remain out of jail on bond until their sentencing hearings. 2022-02-12 - By Zachary Hansen zachary.hansen@ajc.com. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He faces a max sentence of 35 years in prison. Third, Lary and others acting on his behalf solicited relief funds from businesses that received grants under the Small Business Program. Police searching for suspect in northwestern Georgia elementary school burglary, Dunwoody Police catch man impersonating officer, Ex-officer charged in Susana Morales' death now charged in 2019 Snellville burglary, Frederick, MD tanker explosion leaves 1 dead; Shuts down part of US-15, Photos show rescue of Woodstock man 'buried up to his neck' in collapsed trench, Prominent Roswell restaurant owner charged with sexual crimes involving 2 minors, Clayton County twin sisters make history rising the ranks in Georgia UPS facility, Alex Murdaugh killed wife, son to buy time, prosecutor says, Families intensify search for two men missing for more than a week, Disneyland banned Rebel Wilson over selfie, actress says, Georgia baby girl reported missing with man diagnosed with mental illness, police say, Sheriff's office continues five-year-long search for missing Carrollton man. Lary, 59, was the first mayor of Stonecrest, a DeKalb County city of about . Jason Lary stole more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds meant to help the. 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. Stone clemency order shows Trump wiped prison sentence, supervised He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives. . Stonecrest could hold a special election to fill the vacant mayor's seat as early as March. 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. In total, businesses were defrauded out of hundreds of thousands of dollars of relief funds. He's accused of federal fraud related to COVID-19 relief funds. 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. 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. In return, prosecutors recommended a lighter sentence of 366 days in confinement half in prison and half as home arrest. The details of Boones plea deal are similar to the one Lary accepted. For more information on the Departments response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. The plan also provided $5 million to the COVID-19 CARES Act Small Business Program (Small Business Program). Lary also made the defendants wife, Lania Boone, the bookkeeper charged with distributing relief funds. Former mayor of metro Atlanta city pleads guilty to fraud By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 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. "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. Last year the Northern District of Georgia US Attorney's office prosecuted at least 100 people involved in a total of $26 million in CARES Act fraud. Deana Timberlake-Wiley, Boones attorney, and federal prosecutors declined to comment. An official website of the United States government. 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. 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. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday. Have a question about Government Services? 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. No stone was more important than the cornerstone because the integrity of the whole structure depended on the cornerstone containing . We are putting measures into place to prevent what we experienced during the meeting.. U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash sentenced Stonecrest ex-mayor Jason Lary to 57 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay nearly $120,000 in restitution. The phrase is quoted by Jesus, who applies it to his mission of death and glory, after having told the . Police searching for suspect in northwestern Georgia elementary school burglary, Dunwoody Police catch man impersonating officer, Ex-officer charged in Susana Morales' death now charged in 2019 Snellville burglary, Frederick, MD tanker explosion leaves 1 dead; Shuts down part of US-15, Photos show rescue of Woodstock man 'buried up to his neck' in collapsed trench, Clayton County twin sisters make history rising the ranks in Georgia UPS facility, Prominent Roswell restaurant owner charged with sexual crimes involving 2 minors, Families intensify search for two men missing for more than a week, Disneyland banned Rebel Wilson over selfie, actress says, Police issue close to 100 traffic tickets at same Sandy Springs intersection, Georgia baby girl reported missing with man diagnosed with mental illness, police say, Sheriff's office continues five-year-long search for missing Carrollton man. The indictment alleges that Smith stole more than $450,000 in Social Security Administration Northern District of Georgia Library : Stone Rejected Has Become Cornerstone, The Jason Lary, whose resignation. 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. Charles Johnson, Sr., has pleaded guilty for not paying $1.4 million in payroll taxes and for failure to pay employment taxes. The city will hold a special election to select a new mayor. 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. 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. 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. The government said no marketing was ever done. Yet Lary and others asked that these contributions be given not to Stonecrest, but to entities called Visit Us, Inc. and Battleground Media, LLC. Stonecrest did not disburse the $6 million allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program. February 21, 2022 Chris Butler. Those companies were all connected to Lary. 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. 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,. 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. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. "You don't recognize Mayor Pro Tem and council and just leave me standing there like I'm not in the meeting. Suite 600 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. An official website of the United States government. The people of Stonecrest deserved better, and corrupt officials can expect severe consequences for using their offices to commit crimes.. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]. Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. Lary resigned a day before he pleaded guilty to concocting a fraud scheme to steal more than $650,000 in federal pandemic relief funds. 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. Lary faces up to 35 years in prison on all three counts. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, Former U.S. The three conspired to steal and misappropriate relief funds intended for struggling businesses in Stonecrest. 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. Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. 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. Former mayor admits role in COVID relief fraud scheme 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. 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. 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. 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.". 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. Clarence Boone, 60, of Decatur, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 13, 2023. Official websites use .gov The relief funds deposited into the Visit Us and Battleground Media accounts were used by Lary to benefit himself and his associates. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. Lary resigned a day before he pleaded guilty to. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. 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