
Small Town New York Mayor Stole $23K; Jailtime Expected
Former Mayor of New York Village Expected to Serve Jailtime
The former mayor of a small town in New York pleaded guilty to stealing over $23,000 from the residents who elected him during a 6-year robbing spree from 2017 to 2023. Jail time is expected, and he may never run for office again.
A press release from New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and the New York State Police announced that former Village of Candor Mayor Eric Halstead pleaded guilty to stealing $23,000 over 6 years, which began in 2017.
"Mr. Halstead betrayed the village he was entrusted to serve, taking what amounted to interest free loans from the people who elected him...His theft of public funds is contemptible and undermines public faith in government." New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli
Unusual Transactions From Village's Bank Account
According to sources, Halstead was serving as mayor when he "regularly took cash out of the village’s bank account for his personal use, and the withdrawals were recorded as “Mayor’s Discretionary” or “ATM Withdrawal” in village records."
The report says that an outside source assisting the village with its annual reports noticed the unusual transactions, and the matter was referred to DiNapoli’s office, which launched an investigation.
What Did The Investigation Find?
From 2017 to 2023, Halstead took $23,519 in cash from the village, which sources say "coincided with times when Halstead’s personal bank account was nearly empty or overdrawn."
He did, according to sources, pay some of that money back.
The report says that Halstead occasionally deposited some of the money back into the village’s account, but as part of his plea, he had to repay the balance of the stolen funds.
Halstead was Candor's Mayor from 2012 to his arrest in July 2024. Candor is a town in Tioga County, New York, south of Ithaca; its population is roughly over 5,000,
Jail Time is Expected
According to the press release, Halstead pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, and his contemplated sentence is 60 days in jail with a three-year conditional discharge and an agreement to never run for public office again. His sentencing is scheduled for April 14.
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