former stonecrest mayor's accomplice pleads guilty to felony

They are purposely seeking to tear down everything I have worked to build in Stonecrest. Lary, who faces up to 35 years in prison, will be sentenced on May 2. "You don't recognize Mayor Pro Tem and council and just leave me standing there like I'm not in the meeting. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the only news outlet at the hearing. Sandra D. Smith has been arraigned on federal charges of wire fraud and theft of government funds. 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. Channel 2s Audrey Washington called and emailed Stonecrest officials about the announcement and the hack. 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. City leaders have not chosen a specific location for the special election to be held. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. Have a question about Government Services? Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. Official websites use .gov Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges. Lary was also ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution as well. Jones tried to get a comment from Larys attorney after court, but he refused to make a statement. The. The plan also provided $5 million to the COVID-19 CARES Act Small Business Program (Small Business Program). Wilmot said Lary used some of that stolen money to pay off the $108,147 mortgage on his lakefront home in Macon. "I did the best I could do with what we had in place.". 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. He faces a max sentence of 35 years in prison. 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. 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. 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. Lary was arraigned in November 2021, accused of personally profiting from COVID-19 relief money. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. A locked padlock 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. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. "I ask that you measure me by the whole story," Lary said. Lary did not disclose he controlled these companies. . A lock ( In another case, Lary allegedly gave a church $50,000. Have a question about Government Services? 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. Andrea V. Watson. 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. We are putting measures into place to prevent what we experienced during the meeting.. Stonecrest did not disburse the $6 million allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. "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. 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 did not tell the businesses that he controlled these entities. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID relief funds 585 views Feb 11, 2022 5 Dislike Share 11Alive 856K subscribers Jason Lary, the former mayor of. It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. 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. 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). Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Residents will soon get a chance to elect a new mayor in Stonecrest. DeKalb County then disbursed $6.2 million of these relief funds to Stonecrest. 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. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW In January, Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford, Chief of Public Integrity and Civil Rights, is prosecuting the case. 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. 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. Charles Johnson, Sr., has pleaded guilty for not paying $1.4 million in payroll taxes and for failure to pay employment taxes. Boone agreed to cooperate with government agents, provide records and testify at future trials. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. He also settled income taxes he owed going back to 2015. "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.". 2023 FOX Television Stations. STONECREST, Ga. Editor's note: The video above is from a previous story. Stonecrest was required to spend the relief funds in accordance with the CARES Act. 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. 2023 Cox Media Group. Suite 600 Lock . [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]. 2023 FOX Television Stations, resignation went into effect at 10 a.m. Wednesday, he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID-19 relief. Lary also made the defendants wife, Lania Boone, the bookkeeper charged with distributing relief funds. The potential stakes are high for offenders who break new guidelines. None the less, I will continue to serve the people of the great city of Stonecrest.". During a struggle to implement new city manager, Lary said he was facing what could be his third battle with cancer. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Boone, who wrote the bulk of the checks using the stolen funds, agreed with that Friday in court. The resolution also adopted a funding plan for most of Stonecrests relief funds. "I came back too early from my second round with cancer. We have no response about the Mayors resignation, city officials said. Hopefully, he gets all of that, Morrell said. Lary, 60, pleaded. A lock ( His sentencing hearing has been set for May 2. An official website of the United States government. As mayor, he took control of who received $6.2 million in CARES Act money. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2: Person of Interest. The city will hold a special election to select a new mayor. 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. The mayor only votes in the event of a tie a rarity for a five-member City Council. 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. His legal team is citing his health and lack of criminal record should merit a lighter sentence. 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. First, Lary conspired with Boone to steal relief funds before they were disbursed by MRPC. 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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. The details of Boones plea deal are similar to the one Lary accepted. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12. Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal. The city's first mayor did not mention his legal troubles in a resignation speech.

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