Jason Baron Beard, Extortion, Georgia 2024

A former Fire Chief in Augusta, Georgia has been convicted of extorting cash payments from two nightclubs in exchange for not enforcing the city’s fire codes.

Jason Baron Beard, the former Fire Chief of the Fire Prevention Bureau, a division of the Augusta Fire Department, was convicted by a federal jury on six counts of extortion under color of official right and one count of attempted extortion under color of official right.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Beard extorted cash payments from two nightclubs in exchange for not assigning fire marshals to work ‘specials’ and enforce the clubs’ occupancy limits.

Beard would collect his payments from the clubs’ managers on the Saturday following the first Friday of each month, a date when restaurants, bars, and nightclubs in Augusta would hold special events and promotions to draw the largest crowds.

Even when the nightclubs’ managers told Beard that the clubs were well over the occupancy limits, Beard continued to collect cash payments without ever even issuing a warning.

The investigation and resulting federal conviction of former Augusta Fire Chief Beard was led by the FBI Atlanta Field Office, with Special Agent Charles E. McKee leading the investigation.

Assistant United States Attorneys C. Troy Clark and Frederick W. Kramer prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

Beard’s conviction is a significant victory for the people of Augusta, Georgia, and demonstrates the United States Attorney’s Office commitment to fighting public corruption and ensuring the public’s safety.

The defendant’s name is Jason Baron Beard, the exact criminal charges are six counts of extortion under color of official right and one count of attempted extortion under color of official right, and the city and state are Augusta, Georgia.

The conviction of Jason Baron Beard occurred on an unspecified date in 2024, and he was convicted by a federal jury in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, with Judge J. Randal Hall presiding.

The outcome of the case is that Jason Baron Beard has been convicted of seven counts of extortion and attempted extortion, and the exact sentence or outcome was not provided in the source material.

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