Albany County District Attorney Lee C. Kindlon announced today that the man who stole $40,229 from Albany Rural Cemetery has pleaded guilty to two charges.

David Eslinger, 58, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and Identity Theft in the First Degree in front of the Honorable Roger McDonough Thursday, both Class D felonies.

An investigation into Eslinger, the former general manager at the cemetery, revealed that the Fort Edward man was issuing extra paychecks to himself and using the organization’s credit card to pay for gas, meals and trips to Las Vegas, Walt Disney World, and gentlemen’s clubs in New York City.

Under the agreement of the plea, Eslinger will be placed on an interim probation period for one year, during which time he will have to pay restitution of at least $20,000 back to the Albany Rural Cemetery. If the $20,000 is paid, Eslinger will be sentenced to 4 years of probation and will have to pay the remaining $20,229 back to the Cemetery. If he fails to repay the $20,000 sum, Eslinger could face up to seven years in prison.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23 at 9:30 a.m.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Beven Nedumthakady of the Major Crimes Bureau.