By Sandy Hodson and Susan McCord
The Augusta Chronicle
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Augusta Fire Marshal Jason Beard has been indicted on extortion charges.
According to the federal indictment returned by a grand jury Thursday, Beard is accused of extorting money from nightclub owners and managers with threats of economic harm.
The indictment, six counts of extortion and one count of attempted extortion, accuses Beard of making threats to enforce overcrowding regulations and ignoring such violations if they did pay, which allowed the clubs to operate in an overcrowded and dangerous manner.
According to the indictment, the acts occurred from June 2014 through January. It lists six specific dates that the extortion allegedly occurred on a monthly basis, the last on Jan. 3. The seventh count of the indictment, attempted extortion, allegedly occurred Jan. 3 and involved an individual identified only by the initials “H.G.”
Extortion is punishable by a penalty of up to 20 years.
Beard had been on paid leave with the department since the investigation began in August. The next legal step is an appearance in U.S. District Court for arraignment and bond consideration.
In a statement, Augusta Fire Chief Chris James said he has submitted a notice of proposed termination of Beard to the city Human Resources office.
The department cooperated fully with the FBI in the investigation, James said.
Beard has worked in the fire department since July 1987, rising through the ranks. In 2010 Beard was a lieutenant, and by 2013 he was a captain fire marshal.
Beard’s career hasn’t been trouble free. In 1996, Beard was fired from the department after testing positive for cocaine use. His firing was upheld by the commission, and Beard sued. He was reinstated at his same pay and rank in 1997. Then-city attorney Jim Wall told The Augusta Chronicle that each case is evaluated and that there was “something involved in Mr. Beard’s testing that was out of the ordinary.”
Beard, the nephew of former Augusta Commission members Betty and Lee Beard, underwent a drug rehabilitation program, though his attorney said it wasn’t necessary.
“There were some problems with the lab tests and also some internal problems, and yes, I am back on the job,” Beard told the paper in 1997. “Now I’m ready to clear my name.”
According to The Chronicle’s Augusta-Richmond County employee database, Beard’s current salary is $69,329.
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