Andrew DeStefano, Former Putnam Sheriff Candidate, Wins Appeal

PUTNAM COUNTY, N.Y. -- The conviction of a former candidate for Putnam County Sheriff who pleaded guilty to charges of misconduct and offering a false instrument for filing has been reversed, according to lohud.com.

A state appellate court has overturned the 2009 conviction of Andrew DeStefano, a former candidate for Putnam County Sheriff who had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in connection with an investigation into forged nominating petitions.
Photo Credit: *File*

James O'Rourke

01/29/2017 11:37 a.m.

Andrew DeStefano, a 52-year-old retired New York City police captain, dropped out of the sheriff’s race in 2009 amid allegations that he filed forged nominating petitions, according to lohud.com, which reported that he later pleaded guilty to misconduct and second-degree offering a false instrument for filing, misdemeanors.

On Tuesday, Jan. 24, a panel of three state appellate court judges reversed the conviction, noting that DeStefano’s lawyer at the time, Pat Bonanno, had failed to disclose a conflict of interest, according to lohud.com.

Bonanno had apparently represented five others targeted by the investigation into the forged petitions, according to lohud.com, which reported that the five others were all granted immunity by the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office while DeStefano was charged.

Click here to read the report from lohud.com.

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