A DeKalb County building inspector will spend more than two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges she forced local contractors to “pay for play.”

“A pay to play scheme is essentially where a public official forces a contractor to pay money to play – the “play” being in able to get contracts and do work,” explained Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Davis, who prosecuted the case.

Neacacha Joyner stopped a contractor from building sidewalks on a $1.4 million federally-funded project near the intersection of South Hairston Road and Wesley Chapel Road, refusing to let work continue until the contractor paid her thousands of dollars.

The contractor called the FBI, then helped agents by complying with her demands for money while under surveillance. 

Joyner was sentenced to two years and three months in prison, followed by two years probation and a $9,600 fine.

Her sentencing comes after her boss, Fidelus Ogbu, 59, was sent to prison in June on the same charges. He will spend three years behind bars.