ATLANTA — The husband of a former DeKalb County commissioner has been sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison for conspiring to steal county money, authorities said.
John Boyer, 63, and his wife, Elaine Boyer, 59, devised “an unlawful kickback scheme … to obtain money from DeKalb County” after the couple encountered money problems. Elaine Boyer was convicted of similar charges in September 2014 and sentenced to one year and two months in prison and ordered to pay approximately $87,000 in restitution, according to federal prosecutors.
“John Boyer used his wife’s position as a DeKalb County Commissioner to steal thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds. The Boyers’ scheme put county money in their pockets and ultimately left the citizens of DeKalb County holding the tab,” said U.S. Attorney John A. Horn said in a news release. “In a county that has recently seen its share of corruption cases, this is a particularly sad chapter.”
Elaine Boyer started serving residents on north DeKalb County in 1992. She resigned from the post in August 2014.
Earlier this month, special investigators probing various malfeasance in the county said DeKalb County “is rotten to the core.” Investigators cited Boyer’s conviction as one of the problems facing the county.
A third person — family-friend Marion Rooks Boynton — has also been charged in connection with the scheme. According to federal prosecutors:
As part of the scheme, false invoices were submitted to Elaine Boyer’s office for services supposedly rendered by Boynton. In fact, Boynton performed no services for DeKalb County government, Elaine Boyer’s Office, or the citizens of DeKalb County.
Elaine Boyer used the false invoices as a basis to authorize payments to Boynton. From September 2009 to November 2011, based on requisition requests from Elaine Boyer’s Office, DeKalb County issued approximately 35 checks to Boynton for consulting services that were never performed. In total, DeKalb County paid Boynton more than $85,000.
John Boyer then instructed Boynton to deposit the money that Boynton received from DeKalb County into a bank account used by Elaine and John Boyer. Consequently, after being paid by DeKalb County, Boynton funneled approximately $60,000 received from DeKalb County into a personal bank account used by the Boyers. In turn, the Boyers used the money deposited into the account to pay personal living expenses.
“The sentencing of Mr. Boyer further illustrates that there are consequences for those who assist or entice public officials with regard to criminal corrupt activities,” J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, said in a news release. “The FBI continues to make public corruption investigations its number one criminal program priority and asks that anyone with information regarding such activity to notify their nearest FBI field office.”
