The former police chief in the Franklin County town of Leyden was arraigned on theft-related charges Monday after town-owned equipment allegedly was sold without authorization, officials said.
Daniel J. Galvis pleaded not guilty in Greenfield District Court to two counts of motor vehicle larceny, two counts of larceny over $1,200, and three counts of violating the standards of conduct for public employees, Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan’s office said in a statement.
Galvis was released on personal recognizance. He is due back in court June 21. His attorney could not immediately be reached for comment Monday night.
Following a complaint made to the state inspector general’s fraud hotline in March 2022, investigators determined that Galvis allegedly sold several pieces of equipment that belonged to the Police Department without returning proceeds to the town, according to the statement. The equipment, which Galvis allegedly sold between 2018 and 2021, included a skid steer loader, a motor, a trailer, and a Ford truck, prosecutors said.
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“It is an affront to the community when a public official violates their oath of office to enrich themselves, as is alleged in this case,” Inspector General Jeffrey S. Shapiro said in the statement. “I hope that the work done by the OIG investigators underscores our commitment to protect public resources from fraud, waste or abuse.”
Lila Hempel-Edgers can be reached at lila.hempeledgers@globe.com. Follow her on X @hempeledgers and on Instagram @lila_hempel_edgers.