Former DeKalb Zoning Board of Appeals Member Pleads Guilty to Bribery

A former member of the DeKalb County government has pleaded guilty to charges of bribery in federal court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

Jeremy “Jerry” Clark, who served on the DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals, accepted a $3,500 bribe from a business owner in Tucker who wanted to ensure that his business could continue to operate as a late-night dance club despite stringent zoning regulations set in place by the count government in 2008.

The business owner claimed to be grandfathered in under the new regulations, but was advised he was allowed to operate a late-night business but not a dance club. He was told he needed to obtain a Special Land Use Permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals, and approached Clark with an offer of cash for a vote in support of the permit.

According to the Attorney’s Office, the business owner paid Clark $2,000 in cash and donated $1,500 to a charity connected to Clark after a November 2012 Zoning Board of Appeals vote cast by Clark granted the business the proper Special Land Use Permit.

“It took only $3,500 to subvert the purpose of this DeKalb zoning ordinance, which was to regulate the operation of late-night nightclubs,” said Acting United States Attorney John Horn. “This case demonstrates how a corrupt public official can sell out the legitimate interests of the communities and citizens he serves, solely for his own profit. DeKalb County citizens deserved better.”

Clark pleaded guilty to one count of bribery on Feb. 10, and will be sentenced on April 30 at 10 a.m.