CANDOR, N.Y. — The former mayor of the Village of Candor in Tioga County pled guilty to stealing $23,000 from the village government’s coffers.
New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and the New York State Police announced Eric Halstead’s guilty plea on Friday.
“Mr. Halstead betrayed the village he was entrusted to serve, taking what amounted to interest free loans from the people who elected him,” DiNapoli said in the announcement. “His theft of public funds is contemptible and undermines public faith in government. My thanks to District Attorney [Kirk] Martin and the New York State Police for their partnership in ensuring justice is served in this case.”
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Case background
Halstead was Candor’s mayor from 2012 until he resigned shortly after his arrest in July 2024.
While serving as mayor, Halstead regularly took cash out of the village’s bank account for his personal use. The withdrawals were recorded as “Mayor’s Discretionary” or “ATM Withdrawal” in village records.
When an outside consultant who was assisting the Village of Candor with its annual reports noticed the unusual transactions, the matter was referred to the state comptroller’s office, which launched an investigation.
The ensuing investigation found Halstead took $23,519 in cash from the village between February 2017 and May 2023. The withdrawals often coincided with times when Halstead’s personal bank account was nearly empty or overdrawn. He intermittently and irregularly deposited money back into the village’s account in the amount of $19,302 over the course of six years.
Halstead pled guilty to grand larceny in the third degree before Judge Adam Schumacher in Tioga County Court. His contemplated sentence is 60 days in jail with a three-year conditional discharge and an agreement to never run for public office again. As part of his plea, Halstead repaid the balance of the stolen funds.
His sentencing is scheduled for April 14.
