CHENANGO COUNTY – More than two years after first being charged in April of 2019, on Friday former Pharsalia Town Supervisor Dennis Brown pleaded guilty to stealing $240,000 in public funds in Chenango County Court and agreed to pay the rest of it back.

Brown pleaded guilty to second degree grand larceny, as a crime of public corruption. As part of the plea Brown agreed to pay $240,000 in restitution, he has already paid $125,000. Prosecutors said he will be sentenced in September and faces a potential state prison term.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli first announced Brown's arrest on April 10, 2019 following an audit of the town's finances.

DiNapoli said Friday, “For decades, the residents of Pharsalia trusted Dennis Brown to safeguard taxpayer money, but instead he treated the town’s funds like a personal piggybank, pocketing over $240,000.”

“We have no tolerance for abuse of the public’s trust and today Dennis Brown faces consequences for his crimes. My thanks to the New York State Police and to Cortland County DA Perfetti for partnering with us to uncover his corruption,” said DiNapoli.

Read more in Monday's Evening Sun.

Read more from our archives: https://www.evesun.com/news/stories/2021-01-01/34111/Pharsalia-supervisor-who-allegedly-stole-$120,000-from-town-in-2019-awaits-his-day-in-court