Son and Associate of Former Gwinnet County Commissioner Sentenced for Accepting Bribes and Trafficking Drugs

JohnFanning, Former Zoning Board Member, and Carl “Skip” Cain Sentenced as Part ofGwinnett County Corruption Probe
ATLANTA—John Fanning, 34, of Dacula,Georgia, and Carl “Skip” Cain, 65, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, were both sentencedtoday by United States District Judge Charles A. Pannell, Jr., to four yearsand nine months in prison for public corruption and drug offenses. Lassiter andCain pled guilty to participating in a scheme to sell former Gwinnett CountyCommissioner Shirley Lasseter’s vote on a proposed real estate developmentproject, and for conspiring to traffic cocaine. Lasseter was sentenced by JudgePannell on September 5, 2012, to serve 33 months in prison for her role in thebribery scheme.
“Before law enforcement stopped them,these defendants sold the office of a Gwinnett County commissioner toindividuals whom they believed to be drug traffickers and tried to become drugtraffickers themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Sally Yates. “They showed ashocking indifference to prior law enforcement efforts to root out corruptionin Gwinnett County and the dangers to the community posed by the illegal drugtrade. Today’s sentences show that those who violate the public trust and thelaw will be taken off the streets and brought to justice.”
Ricky Maxwell, Acting Special Agent inCharge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated: “Today’s sentencing should make clearto all that the FBI is serious in its efforts to identify, investigate, andbring forward for prosecution those engaged in similar acts of corruption asMr. Fanning and Mr. Cain. The FBI asks anyone with information regarding suchactivity to immediately contact their nearest FBI field office.”
According to United States AttorneyYates, the charges, and other information presented in court: Lasseter servedas the elected District One commissioner on the Gwinnett County board ofcommissioners until her resignation on May 31, 2012. Fanning is Lasseter’s sonand operates a landscaping business. Fanning was also a member of the GwinnettCounty Zoning Appeals Board, a position with a one-year term that began inFebruary 2011 after he was appointed by his mother.
Lasseter, Fanning, and Cain agreed tosell Lasseter’s official approval of and vote for a proposed real estate developmentin her district to an undercover agent with the FBI, who was posing as abusinessman. Cain, who works at a trucking business, served as a “bagman” forLasseter and Fanning, arranging the bribes required for their official approvaland setting up meetings with them for the payment of the requested bribes.After Cain said that he was interested in making money from drug traffickingand illegal money laundering, the undercover agent told the defendants afabricated story that he laundered money for drug dealers and that drugtrafficking proceeds would fund the proposed real estate development.
In multiple meetings, Lasseter andFanning told the undercover agent that Lasseter’s approval and vote regardingthe proposed development was for sale. They also told the undercover agent thatFanning could use his position as a member of the Zoning Appeals Board to helpsecure any necessary approvals or variances. Lasseter also discussed with theagent the possibility that, in exchange for the requested bribes, the countywould buy any portions of the property that could not be developed profitably.Although Lasseter said that such a purchase would be difficult because a statespecial grand jury had investigated county land purchases, she confirmed thatshe would secure the necessary approvals for the undercover agent to developthe property.
In exchange for Lasseter’s officialapproval and vote, the defendants demanded and were paid or promised thefollowing benefits:
■Lasseter received a total of $36,500 incash, paid in several installments, the largest installment being a $26,000cash payment that she and Fanning counted out together to ensure that the totalwas correct. Each time Lasseter received cash in exchange for her officialaction on the proposed development, she confirmed to the undercover agent thatshe would give her official approval and vote for the proposed development.■Cain was paid a total of $10,000, whichhe demanded as his fee for arranging Lasseter and Fanning’s involvement.■Fanning was to receive an ownershipstake in a business to be located in the proposed development.
Lasseter, Fanning, and Cain also saidthat they wanted to work with the undercover agent on additional mattersinvolving misuse of Lasseter’s official position and other illegal activities.In several meetings, Lasseter and Fanning sought to enlist the agent’s help asa “bagman” in leveraging Lasseter’s official position to enrich themselvespersonally from the proposed privatization of the Gwinnett County Airport.
In addition, Fanning and Cain acted ascouriers delivering what they believed to be cocaine and what they believed tobe drug money. Fanning and Cain each laundered $10,000 in cash, keeping anamount that represented what they understood to be the standard fee forlaundering proceeds from illegal drug trafficking. Fanning and Cain alsotransported a substance that they believed to be cocaine from the New York Cityarea to Atlanta. After flying to the New York City area and spending the night,Fanning and Cain flew back with four kilograms of sham cocaine. After theirplane landed in Atlanta, Fanning and Cain each took possession of two kilogramsto make a delivery to a prospective buyer. Law enforcement officers detainedFanning and Cain before they could make the planned delivery. Law enforcementofficers also confronted Lasseter the same day.
This case is being investigated byspecial agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney DouglasW. Gilfillan is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlantarecommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at thefollowing website: www.justthinktwice.com.
For further information please contactthe U.S. Attorney’s Public Information Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.govor (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S.Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia iswww.justice.gov/usao/gan.