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. 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. Stonecrest residents that Jones talked to were outraged. Larys last public address to his constituents delivered one last bombshell moment to his tenure. 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. 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. Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. Lary is free on bond. 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. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW
Lary won the mayors race twice, the citys only mayor in its brief history. 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 . Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges, Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges, 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), more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, 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. This sentencing holds Lary accountable for abusing his position of trust and blatant disrespect for the law.. 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. A judge will have the final say on her sentencing; her conspiracy charge carries a maximum of five years behind bars. As you can tell with technology, it can be immature and ridiculous, and thats fine, Lary said. An official website of the United States government. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Lary was supposed to be in office until the end of 2023. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, Former U.S. 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). A lock ( "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.". His resignation went into effect Wednesday. 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. Suite 600
", 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. "He certainly, as alleged by the Grand Jury, used his position as mayor of Stonecrest to divert those funds and used his influence and connections," Erskine said. In Larys guilty plea, he admitted to making sure that Boone was hired as Municipal Resource Partners bookkeeper. 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. (FOX 5). 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. 2022-02-12 - By Zachary Hansen
[email protected]. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday.. 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. ATLANTA - After spending nearly a year proclaiming his innocence, former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary admitted masterminding a scheme to steal COVID relief funds. Lary was arraigned in November 2021, accused of personally profiting from COVID-19 relief money. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Jason Lary, whose resignation. The about-face came in. "What the mayor said was unacceptable and does not represent city council," said Mayor Pro Tem George Turner. Lania Boone, 60, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for her role in a scheme to steal . Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. The federal government permitted DeKalb County to further disburse these relief funds to its municipalities. The resolution also adopted a funding plan for most of Stonecrests relief funds. His plea came the same morning his resignation as mayor of Stonecrest became official. In a special-called meeting, members of the Stonecrest City Council voted 4-1 to censure Lary. 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. 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. "There was never an interest on anybodys part to kick back or filter money back or any of that nonsense.". 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. "I did the best I could do with what we had in place.". She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022. 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. 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. . Until a new mayor is elected, the mayors responsibilities will be handled by the mayor pro tem. 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. 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. Jones tried to get a comment from Larys attorney after court, but he refused to make a statement. 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. 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. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. 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. 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. "Quite frankly folks, now its turned ugly," he said during a news conference in April 2021. Candidates must pay a $600 qualifying fee. Lania Boone received a sentence of six months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $7,657.47. 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. 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. 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. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 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. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. The phrase is quoted by Jesus, who applies it to his mission of death and glory, after having told the . Lania Boone, Larys co-conspirator, pleaded guilty to conspiracy on February 11, 2022. Hardworking people like us, Will Morrell said. The judge says Lary's actions were "deplorable" and rejected a defense request for Lary to avoid prison time. Wilmot said Lary used some of that stolen money to pay off the $108,147 mortgage on his lakefront home in Macon. Jason Lary admitted he stole more than $650,000 in CARES Act money that was supposed to help struggling businesses and church. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor Wilmot previously prosecuted the case. Lania Boone pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft on February 11, 2022. Official websites use .gov February 21, 2022 Chris Butler. Lary previously denied the accusations of fraud. 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,. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the only news outlet at the hearing. 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. The U.S. Attorney's Office alleges Mayor Jason Lary misused $6.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds. 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 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. 2023 Cox Media Group. For example, Lary used relief funds held by Visit Us to pay for an associates political advertising. We are putting measures into place to prevent what we experienced during the meeting.. The 60-year-old Lary pleaded guilty in January to fraud and theft charges. The first is verse 22, "The stone rejected by the builders has become the corner-stone". Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. The censure stemmed from remarks Mayor Lary made at the end of a council meeting on Sept. 27. 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. "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. "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. His sentencing is set for May 2. Example video title will go here for this video, Should Be Alive Ep. It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. Then, Lary caused the city to enter a contract with MPRC to disburse the relief funds as directed by Stonecrest. Lary placed the defendant, Clarence Boone, who was then Senior Economic Development Manager for Stonecrest, in charge of overseeing the Small Business Program. Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. Puede participar en nuestro ensayo sobre EPOC? Residents will soon get a chance to elect a new mayor in Stonecrest. . Stonecrest was required to spend the relief funds in accordance with the CARES Act. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. The potential stakes are high for offenders who break new guidelines. The city's first mayor did not mention his legal troubles in a resignation speech. A Georgia Senator said he was unsurprised to hear about the indictment. Per federal rules, Stonecrest officials could only spend these relief funds on necessary expenditures related to . I should've stayed out for several months, but circumstances prevailed where I needed to come back earlier," Lary said. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives. Jason Lary, who announced his resignation as the mayor of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal. 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. The government said no marketing was ever done. Boone, who wrote the bulk of the checks using the stolen funds, agreed with that Friday in court. 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. Lary wont be required to report to prison until after Dec. 15, giving him time for more cancer treatments. In January, Jason Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. 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. DeKalb County then disbursed $6.2 million of these relief funds to Stonecrest. As mayor, he took control of who received $6.2 million in CARES Act money. 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. STONECREST MAYOR RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS OF CARES ACT FUNDS MISUSE. Prosecutors said the 59-year-old former mayor concocted a scheme to divert funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In January, Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. Those duties include acting as the figurehead of the city and appointing members to boards and committees. In return, prosecutors recommended a lighter sentence of 366 days in confinement half in prison and half as home arrest. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The judge says Larys actions were deplorable and rejected a defense request for Lary to avoid prison time. 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. 2023 Cox Media Group. This story is breaking. 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. Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. 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. Lary and Boone knew the purpose of the transfer was to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront home owned by Lary. Instead, prosecutors said Lary used the money to cover his own tax liabilities and pay off the mortgage on his lake house. Lary also made the defendants wife, Lania Boone, the bookkeeper charged with distributing relief funds. His resignation went into effect Wednesday. Boone is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. In court on Wednesday, Lary apologized to his family, friends and Stonecrest residents. 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. ATLANTA (AP) A suburban Atlanta mayor pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges a day after announcing his resignation from office. During a struggle to implement new city manager, Lary said he was facing what could be his third battle with cancer. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges.