Sept. 23, 2021—A former civilian state police mechanic pleaded guilty in Madison County Court to embezzling more than $24,000 in auto parts, the Rome Sentinel reported.
David Relyea, 64, of Canastota, pleaded guilty before Judge Patrick J. O’Sullivan to felony third-degree corrupting the government. He has been placed on interim felony probation and authorities said he has already paid back $20,000.
Authorities said Relyea was a civilian mechanic for the state police barracks in Oneida and he bought numerous auto parts that did not fit state police vehicles, then altered the invoice descriptions so that they did not match the actual parts purchased.
Investigators said Relyea owned his own auto repair business and used the parts he stole from the state police garage to subsidize his personal business.
