Former Rochester city employee charged with theft from nonprofit released from prison

Rochester, NY (WHAM) – Anthony Hall, the 38-year-old former city employee accused of stealing from a local nonprofit, has been released from custody.

Hall left the Monroe County Jail Thursday morning after a judge ordered his release on parole

He was arrested Tuesday following an investigation by the New York State Police and the Monroe County District Attorney's Office. Few details of the charges have been released, but Hall is charged with third-degree grand larceny.

“I really don't understand why he was detained, but he was and now he's free. That's all that matters,” said Hall's lawyer Leticia Astacio.

According to the grand jury indictment unsealed in court Wednesday, Hall is accused of stealing more than $3,000 worth of property belonging to the Coalition of North East Associations, an organization that addresses housing, crime prevention and economic development issues in Rochester's Upper Falls neighborhood.

The indictment states that the theft occurred sometime between December 1, 2018, and September 3, 2019.

MORE: Former city employee charged with grand theft

Astacio said her client has pleaded not guilty and that this charge is not a bailable offense.

“When I found out he was being held without bail, I contacted Judge Moran and the prosecutor, who, in all fairness, both immediately agreed that he should not be held in custody and arranged a bail hearing for us prior to the jury trial, which began at 9:30 a.m.,” Astacio said.

Hall was formerly director of the Pathways to Peace program in Rochester. Most recently, he was CEO of the Community Resource Collaborative, which was the focus of scrutiny earlier this year after allegations of mismanagement of federal funds.

BACKGROUND: Founder of Rochester nonprofit fired after allegedly embezzling funds | Millions of dollars for Rochester nonprofits put on hold after sponsor turns down

Astacio said many of Hall's supporters filled the courtroom at Thursday's hearing.

“He had a lot of support here today from a lot of people who otherwise would have probably stayed out of it, stayed out of it, taken government jobs,” Astacio said. “I see him from an activist perspective. I see him as a leader. I see him as a person who is not afraid to speak truth to power, and people like that are not welcome in this community.”

The district attorney's office said no bail requests were made at Wednesday's court hearing. 13WHAM has reached out to the Monroe County Public Defender's Office for comment but has not yet received a response.

13WHAM also reached out to the New York State Police, the executive director of the Coalition of North East Associations and Anthony Hall, but all declined to comment.

Hall's next court date is scheduled for October.

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