Tioga County Mayor Accused of Corruption and Stealing Thousands

A mayor of a Tioga County village faces felony charges after he allegedly withdrew thousands of dollars from a government account for personal use.

Authorities say Candor Mayor Eric Halstead was arrested on Monday by members of the Owego state police Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

The 67-year-old Halstead was charged with second-degree corrupting the government and third-degree grand larceny.

According to a state police news release, the agency's investigators "worked in concert with the Office of the New York State Comptroller."

An investigation showed that over a period of several years, Mayor Halstead withdrew more than $23,000 in cash from a village account for his own use. He eventually replaced about $19,000 but still owes money to the village.

State police said Halstead was arrested and transported to the Tioga County Jail for arraignment. He was released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in Candor town court on August 5.

Halstead could not be reached for comment on Tuesday afternoon. A woman who answered a phone listed in his name indicated he had nothing to say about the matter at this time.

The Candor village board scheduled a special meeting for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the developments related to the investigation.

Gwen Benners, the village treasurer and deputy clerk, told WNBF News she had no comment on Halstead's arrest.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.