Former Atlanta chief financial officer pleads guilty to stealing money from city for trips and guns

By JEFF AMY
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — The former chief financial officer for Atlanta has pleaded guilty to stealing money from the city for personal travel and guns and trying to cheat the federal government on his income taxes. Jim Beard pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of federal program theft and one count of tax obstruction in federal court. The 60-year-old is scheduled to be sentenced July 12. Beard could face up to 13 years in prison. He is likely to be sentenced to less under federal guidelines. Beard is the 10th person to be convicted in an anti-corruption probe into former Mayor Kasim Reed’s administration.