Former Tioga County Mayor Admits Stealing $23,000 from Village

A former Tioga County mayor who stole more than $23,000 from a village is expected to be sentenced to two months in jail.

Authorities said 68-year-old Eric Halstead, who was village of Candor mayor for 12 years, pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny. Halstead appeared Friday before Tioga County Judge Adam Schumacher.

Halstead was mayor from 2012 until he quit shortly after he was arrested by state police last July.

Investigators said Halstead regularly took cash from the village's bank account for his personal use. The withdrawals were listed as "Mayor's Discretionary" or "ATM Withdrawal" in the village records.

An outside consultant who was helping to prepare annual reports for the village spotted the unusual transactions. The state comptroller's office started an investigation after it was advised of the problem.

The probe revealed that Halstead took $23,519 in cash from the village between February 2017 and May 2023. The withdrawals tended to coincide with times when Halstead's personal bank account was almost empty or overdrawn.

The mayor occasionally deposited money back into the village account over the course of six years. He had returned more than $19,000 over a period of six years.

As part of his plea, Halstead repaid the balance of the stolen money. Under a plea deal, Halstead is expected to be sentenced to 60 days in jail with a three-year conditional discharge. He's also agreed to never run for another public office.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.