Most in Mineola might think that a charge of larceny would be fairly simple to either prove or disprove: either one stole something, or he or she did not. Yet as is the case with many areas of the law, fighting such an accusation is not always that simple. In some cases, one might have acted in a manner that he or she thought was completely legal (even at the advice of others), only to later face allegations that he or she stole something.
Such is the claim being made by the mayor of Mount Vernon. The mayor is claims that he was acting on the advice of his legal counsel when he redirected $45,000 in inauguration committee funds as well as $12,000 in campaign funds. He says that both were meant to be compensation for work he put in campaigning. He also states that he followed proper procedure in recording the transactions, an assertion that is being disputed by the state’s Attorney General. The Attorney General claims that the mayor lied about the use of the money, using it to pay for his cars, his rent and personal travel expenses (among other things). While the mayor has ignored calls to resign, if convicted he would be removed from office.
The first reaction that many may have when people deny any wrongdoing in cases such as this is to roll their eyes. Yet it should be remembered that people are innocent until proven otherwise, and deserving of the chance to refute any criminal allegations that are made against them. Those who may need help in mounting a defense to larceny charges may find it in the form of a seasoned criminal defense attorney.
Source: Westchester Magazine “Mount Vernon Mayor Arrested on Charges of Grand Larceny: What You Need to Know” Zucker, Dave, Mar. 20, 2018