Felony charge dropped against ex civic group president

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) - Long Island prosecutors have dropped a felony grand larceny charge against a former village trustee who had been accused of stealing nearly $2,000 from a civic group.

Edward Schmidt was charged last year after the Poquott Civic Association said it discovered financial discrepancies from when the 23-year-old Schmidt was the group’s president.

A spokesman for District Attorney Thomas Spota (SPOH’-tuh) tells Newsday (https://nwsdy.li/1TTCJsf ) Suffolk County prosecutors could not sufficiently prove the felony charge. Schmidt still faces two misdemeanor petit larceny counts.

He resigned from the civic association and the Poquott village board in 2014.

Schmidt is expected in a Central Islip (EYE’-slihp) court next week. Defense attorney Tad Scharfenberg says he hopes prosecutors drop the remaining charges.

___

Information from: Newsday, https://www.newsday.com