Mayor of Candor arrested and accused of stealing $23,000 from the village

VILLAGE OF CANDOR, NY (WIVT/WBGH) — New York State Troopers made a disturbing announcement on Tuesday, July 2, as Candor Mayor Eric Halstead, who had held the office for 12 years, was arrested on charges of grand theft and corruption.

Halstead, 67, is accused of withdrawing $23,519 in cash from the Village of Candor account for his own personal use between February 2017 and May 2023, according to New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

DiNapoli says Halstead has replaced $19,302 of that money over time, but he still owes the rest to the county.

According to DiNapoli, the town of Candor hired an outside consultant in March 2023 to help prepare the annual reports. The consultant noticed that Halstead had been regularly withdrawing money from the town’s general fund, which was recorded either as an “ATM withdrawal” or “at the discretion of the mayor.”

After the Audit Office was notified, an investigation began and it was determined that Halstead owed the Candor community over $4,000 from the funds he had stolen.

Halstead was charged with second-degree bribery of the state and third-degree grand larceny.

His next court date is scheduled for August 5.