Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that Craig Arno, 63, of Hamburg was sentenced this morning before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan to five years of probation.
The defendant admitted that he stole a total of $342,036 from a relative’s estate over the course of nearly seven years. Instead of donating the deceased victim’s money to local charities, the defendant abused his power as the executor of the will and transferred the money his personal bank account between September 2016 and August 2023. The defendant also failed to report the stolen money on his personal income tax returns. The suspected theft was reported to our office by the Surrogate Court administrator.
Arno pleaded guilty to one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (Class “C” felony) and one count of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree (Class “E” felony). The defendant pleaded guilty to the highest sustainable charge on July 16, 2024.
As a condition of the plea, Arno signed a Confession of Judgement in the amount of $342,036. Today, the defendant paid $8,000 in upfront restitution. He is required to make restitution payments as a condition of his sentence.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Gary M. Ertel and Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Abrams of the Special Investigations and Prosecutions Bureau.