Mark Gary, Charged with Bribing Shirley Lasseter, to Enter Plea

A plea hearing has been scheduled for Gwinnett businessman Mark Gary on corruption charges at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 1, before U.S. District Judge Charles Pannell Jr. in Courtroom 2307 of the Richard B. Russell Federal Building in Atlanta.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta charged Gary with bribing former Gwinnett County Commissioner Shirley to obtain commission approval in 2009 of a controversial $4-million waste transfer station in which he had a personal stake. Gary was implicated in an investigation of corruption in Gwinnett County government.

After Lasseter voted in favor of the permit for the project, Gary allegedly gave her son John Fanning a bribe consisting of $30,000 worth of chips at an out-of-state casino. Fanning reportedly later shared the money with Lasseter. Although the Gwinnett County Commission approved the project, it was never built.

A Duluth resident, Gary, 39, was arraigned Sept. 5 before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Justin Anand on the federal bribery charge, waived indictment, and was released on bond. Because he waived indictment, Gary is expected to plead guilty at the hearing next week. If so, Judge Parnell would set a date for Gary's sentencing hearing.

Gary faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In determining his sentence, the court will consider federal sentencing guidelines that provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenses.

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