Former DeKalb Zoning Board Member Headed To Prison

DECATUR, GA -- A former DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals member is headed to prison on charges he accepted a bribe in exchange for approving a late-night pool hall in Tucker.

Federal prosecutors say Jeremy “Jerry” Clark took the bribe from Ismail Sirdah, who was also sentenced to prison, for his vote to approve a late-night exemption for Lulu Billiards.

“This is another unfortunate incident of corruption in DeKalb County,” said U.S Attorney John Horn in a news release. “Again, I reiterate that the citizens of DeKalb County expect public officials to act with honesty and integrity. Public officials who may be tempted by money and graft remember; we remain committed to investigating and prosecuting acts of corruption regardless of who commits them or where they are.”

Clark, 43, of Lithonia, was sentenced to nine months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $3,500 fine. He pleaded guilty to the bribery charge last February.

Sirdah, 53, of Duluth, pleaded guilty in April. He’s been sentenced to six months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.

In 2008, DeKalb County commissioners passed an ordinance that required new businesses to get a special permit if they wanted to operate as a late-night establishment or nightclub.

While Lulu Billiards already existed, but was informed by the county that it could only operate as a late-night establishment, not a nightclub. Despite that, federal prosecutors say, it continued to be operated as a nightclub, including the presence of a dance floor.

After receiving warnings from the county, Sirdah appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals, saying his establishment should be grandfathered in since it was being operated as a nightclub before the new ordinance.

Prior to a hearing, prosecutors say Sirdah met with Clark, who served on the board from January 2009 to May 2013.

They say Sirdah “made it clear to Clark, that if the Zoning Board of Appeals approved Sirdah’s petition to operate as a nightclub, Clark would be rewarded.”

After a November 2012 vote, in which Clark voted with the majority to approve Sirdah’s request, Sirdah paid him approximately $2,000 in cash and donated about $1,500 to a nonprofit group that Clark was involved with.

These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey W. Davis prosecuted the cases.