CANDOR, NY (607NewsNow) – A former mayor in Candor will spend time behind bars.

On April 15, Eric Halstead was sentenced to 60 days in jail for stealing over $23,000 in village funds from February 2017 to May 2023, though he returned over $19,000 at random intervals. Halstead served as mayor from 2012 until his arrest and resignation in July last year. The New York State Comptroller’s Office led the investigation in collaboration with two other agencies.

“Halstead was elected to serve his community but chose instead to steal from it,” said State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. “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.”

Halstead pled guilty to grand larceny earlier this year and paid full restitution. As part of his sentence, he is permanently banned from seeking public office.