LaPolla sentenced in federal court for mail fraud charges

SYRACUSE, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — Former Utica Mayor Louis LaPolla learned his fate in federal court on Tuesday for his role in a mail fraud scheme.

Judge Glenn Suddaby sentenced LaPolla on Tuesday, September 10 to three years of probation and restitution of the money he stole. He will pay out $38,616 twice as part of the restitution judgment and a forfeiture money judgment in the same amount.

LaPolla pled guilty in May to the mail fraud scheme. He was arrested last November and pled guilty in Oneida County Court to a misdemeanor petit larceny charge. The scheme — which also included former Utica City School District Superintendent Bruce Karam — used stamps, envelopes and mailing labels belonging to the district for fundraising mailers. LaPolla was sentenced to 60 days of house arrest, another three years of probation and was ordered to pay just over $3,000 in restitution.

Karam pled guilty to public corruption charges ln March and was forced to pay over $160,000 in restitution and other judgments. Both had been arrested in November of last year.

LaPolla admitted in his federal court plea that he managed to steal nearly $40,000 from a scholarship fund he ran in honor of his late wife. The scholarship was intended to benefit Utica City School District students who intended to enter the medical field. LaPolla received almost $40,000 in donations for the fund. However, an investigation found that he had spent nearly the entire amount on himself.

LaPolla served as Mayor of Utica from 1984 to 1995, and served as President of the Utica City School Board from 2018 to 2022. He also served 21 years as a member of the Utica City School Board.

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