On April 15, 2025, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced that former Village of Candor Mayor Eric Halstead was sentenced to 60 days in jail for his theft of $23,000 in village funds*, an act sometimes referred to as "Jobbery".*
“Halstead was elected to serve his community but chose instead to steal from it,” DiNapoli said. “He now faces the consequences of his crime. Public corruption does lasting damage to people’s confidence in the institutions that exist to serve them. My thanks to Tioga County District Attorney Kirk Martin and State Police Superintendent Steven James for partnering with my office to ensure that justice was served in this case.”
State Police Superintendent James said, “The sentencing of Mr. Halstead demonstrates the vital collaborative work of our law enforcement partners focused on the same goal; holding those who break our laws accountable. The victims in this case are the people of New York who put their trust in the former village of Candor Mayor. I commend our State Police members, our partners at the Comptroller’s Office and Tioga County District Attorney’s Office for their commitment to investigating those who prey on the unsuspecting public for their own gain.”
Halstead’s crime was uncovered when unusual entries referring to ATM withdrawals and a “Mayor’s discretionary fund” were found in the village’s records. A subsequent investigation by DiNapoli’s office and law enforcement determined that Halstead stole $23,519 in village funds from February 2017 to May 2023. At random intervals he put money back into the village’s accounts totaling $19,302.
Halstead served as Candor’s mayor from 2012 until his resignation in July 2024. He pled guilty to Grand Larceny in the third degree in January 2025 and paid full restitution.
He was sentenced before Judge Adam R. Schumacher in Tioga County Court. As part of his sentence he is barred from running for public office ever again.
* Mirriam-Webster defines jobbery as "the improper use of public office or conduct of public business for private gain".
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Since taking office in 2007, DiNapoli has committed to fighting public corruption and encourages the public to help fight fraud and abuse. New Yorkers can report allegations of fraud involving taxpayer money by calling the toll-free Fraud Hotline at 1-888-672-4555, by emailing a complaint to investigations@osc.ny.gov or by mailing a complaint to: Office of the State Comptroller, Division of Investigations, 8th Floor, 110 State St., Albany, NY 12236.