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A captain with the Glens Falls Fire Department has been placed on paid administrative leave following his arrest on forgery and theft charges.
New York State Police arrested Richard G. Stafford, 45, on Tuesday (February 18) after an investigation by their Special Investigations Unit. Stafford faces two counts of second-degree forgery and one count of petit larceny for allegedly writing and fraudulently cashing two checks from the fire department's union account and keeping the funds for personal use.
According to authorities, Stafford, who has served with the Glens Falls Fire Department for approximately 16 years, was acting as secretary for the department's union at the time of the alleged offenses.
PJ Callahan, president of the firefighters' union, issued a statement saying, "We are aware of Mr. Stafford's arrest. Glens Falls Firefighters Union Local 2230 is fully cooperating with all agencies involved with the investigation," according to CBS6 Albany.
The mayor's office acknowledged awareness of the situation but declined further comment due to the ongoing investigation. "We are looking forward to an appropriate resolution in this and will work with investigators if asked," a spokesperson stated.
Following his arrest, Stafford was arraigned in Glens Falls City Court and released on his own recognizance. The Warren County District Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case.