UPDATE: A federal judge Friday afternoon sentenced former DeKalb County commissioner Elaine Boyer to 14 months in prison. More details to come in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and its websites. ///
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Federal prosecutors are calling for a reduced sentence for former DeKalb County commissioner Elaine Boyer. In a motion filed on Thursday, they said that information she provided led to the guilty plea by her husband, John, and may help federal and state authorities with future cases. If the judge agrees, prosecutors are going to recommend she be sentenced to 14 months in prison, rather than 18 months. Her attorneys, though, may argue for house arrest or probation.
Elaine Boyer pleaded guilty in September to conspiratorial mail fraud and substantive wire fraud in schemes that defrauded taxpayers of more than $90,000.
She is scheduled to be sentenced today at 1:30. We'll update later on whether sentencing proceeds today.
Lois Norder
Lois Norder
Boyer took part in a kickback scheme with a family friend who she paid as a supposed consultant, and she also used taxpayer money for personal purchases. Federal court documents say that John Boyer devised the kickback scheme as the couple was facing financial problems and then directed the phony consultant to deposit the taxpayer money he obtained in the Boyers' bank account.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in May.
The federal investigation began after Johnny Edwards of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Elaine Boyer had rung up thousands of dollars in personal purchases on her county Visa card. Later, working with WSB-TV, Edwards also reported on the kickback scheme, citing a trail of evidence that led to an evangelist as Boyer's phony consultant. He has not been charged in the case.
Meanwhile, DeKalb interim CEO Lee May has brought in special investigators to root out corruption, in light of charges against other DeKalb employees.
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