ST. LOUIS 鈥 A former 50度灰视频 County jail official who was long involved with politics and government was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in federal prison for engaging in a pandemic relief kickback scheme.
Tony Weaver, 63, filled out fraudulent applications and sought kickbacks from a small businessman who applied for multiple grants during the COVID-19 pandemic 鈥 a scheme that Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith said revealed Weaver鈥檚 鈥渦nbridled arrogance鈥 and was 鈥渂orn out of his own personal greed.鈥
Weaver apologized for his actions, and his attorney detailed his years of service to various causes and agencies in 50度灰视频 County.
鈥淚 am embarrassed,鈥 Weaver said. 鈥淚 am sorry.鈥
Before his indictment, Weaver served under four jail directors, was a longtime associate of north 50度灰视频 County politico Elbert Walton Jr. and worked as an assistant for Walton鈥檚 daughter, former councilwoman and Democratic state Rep. Rochelle Walton Gray.
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In 2019, Weaver was hired to be a 鈥渃hange management coordinator鈥 at the 50度灰视频 County jail, getting paid $82,500 annually.
He was still working at the county in May 2020 when prosecutors say he sought to use his connections to apply for multiple $15,000 applications for pandemic business relief loans on behalf of a local businessman the Post-Dispatch identified as Mohammed Almuttan.
Almuttan co-owns and operates several gas stations and convenience stores in 50度灰视频 and north 50度灰视频 County. He was charged in a large cigarette and synthetic marijuana trafficking sting in 2017, but all but one of his charges were dismissed in April. He is appealing a four-year prison sentence.
Weaver was indicted in June, and in court documents, federal prosecutors outlined how he lied on applications for COVID-19 relief money by falsely saying businesses had closed, suffered losses and had to lay off employees during the pandemic.
Weaver also worked to conceal that Almuttan was the owner because, under the county鈥檚 business relief program, each person could apply for only one grant.
Weaver pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud in October. Federal sentencing guidelines recommended he receive a year to 18 months in prison.
On Thursday, Weaver鈥檚 attorney Timothy Smith argued his client was engaging in 鈥減uffery,鈥 or boasting, when he vowed in recorded conversations to use his connections to make sure the applications were accepted.
And, Smith argued, Weaver never received any public money because it all ran out before the applications were accepted.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 believe there was any violation of public trust,鈥 Smith said.
Smith also highlighted Weaver鈥檚 lack of previous criminal convictions and spreading prostate cancer as reasons his client should receive a sentence of a year and a day with six months on house arrest.
鈥淲e ask for mercy,鈥 he said.
But Goldsmith argued the court鈥檚 job was to ensure justice was served, and he said Weaver had violated the public鈥檚 trust. There was 鈥渘o question鈥 Weaver knew what he was doing, Goldsmith said, adding that Weaver came up with false statements to make sure the applications would be accepted.
Goldsmith also addressed Smith鈥檚 suggestion that Weaver was engaging in 鈥減uffery.鈥
鈥淚f anyone is ever going to be found to be themselves,鈥 Goldsmith said, 鈥渋t鈥檚 when they are being recorded and they don鈥檛 know.鈥
U.S. District Judge Judge Stephen R. Clark said he considered issuing a sentence above the 18-month maximum outlined in federal guidelines, but given Weaver鈥檚 lack of criminal history and other considerations, he ultimately issued a sentence of 18 months and ordered Weaver to pay a $10,000 fine.