A former longtime Town of Hempstead code enforcement officer has struck a plea deal to avoid jail time after being accused of stealing a laptop from his boss’ office four months ago.
Stephen Centore pleaded guilty Friday at First District Court to attempted petit larceny. Judge Francis Ricigliano sentenced the 56-year-old Franklin Square man to 50 hours of community service.
Centore was arrested and charged with felony grand larceny in March four days after authorities said he stole a Panasonic Tough Book computer worth more than $1,000 from the acting Chief of Public Safety’s office in town hall.
The ex-town employee resigned after nearly three decades on the job when the allegations surfaced.
He was reportedly suspended for 60 days in 2007 and fined $500 in county court the following year after pleading guilty to illegal use of a single family home.
The case came to a close while Hempstead Town Clerk Mark Bonilla’s misconduct trial entered its second week, also at First District Court.
A Hempstead town spokeswoman did not return a call for comment.
