Assembly Candidate Charged With Petty Larceny for Allegedly Stealing Opponent’s Mailer

TL/DR –

Republican Joe Mastroianni, who was a candidate for New York’s 111th Assembly District, received a petty larceny ticket after allegedly stealing his opponent’s election mailer from a homeowner’s porch. The Scotia Police Department issued the misdemeanor ticket after he turned himself in; their investigation revealed no other similar incidents. Despite this incident, Mastroianni lost the election to incumbent Democrat Angelo Santabarbara who secured 63% of the votes.

Assembly Candidate Mastroianni Charged With Petty Larceny

Joe Mastroianni, the Republican candidate accused of stealing his opponent’s election mailer, has been issued a petty larceny ticket, a misdemeanor, according to the Scotia Police Department. Mastroianni surrendered himself to the authorities on Thursday.

A complaint lodged last month alleged that Mastroianni, who was contesting for New York’s 111th Assembly District, pilfered his adversary’s election mailer from a Scotia porch. Law enforcement received a doorbell camera footage of the alleged theft from the law office of Frank Salamone, chair of the Schenectady County Democratic Committee.

Mastroianni was competing against incumbent Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, a Democrat. The police investigation concluded the incident to be isolated, with no additional victims identified, noted Chief Adam Halbfinger.

Salamone urged Mastroianni on Thursday to resign from his Rotterdam Town Board seat. He added that while this is the only locally chargeable offense, a future federal felony charge cannot be ruled out.

Santabarbara comfortably defeated Mastroianni in the Tuesday election, with a 63% to 37% margin as per the Schenectady County Board of Elections.

Keeping a low profile on the issue, Santabarbara said Thursday, “This is a legal matter. I will refrain from commenting and trust the criminal justice system to handle it appropriately.”

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