The Town of Petrolia's former chief administrative officer and clerk has been charged after a lengthy investigation by Lambton OPP.
Police say 43-year-old Emanuel Baron is charged with breach of trust by a public officer following a police probe dating back to November 2017.
"The Town of Petrolia has fully cooperated with the OPP during the investigation, and further, council and town staff will not be commenting, as this item is before the courts," the town said in a statement issued Monday evening. "Given that Mr. Baron is no longer an employee of the Town of Petrolia we request that any comments or questions be directed to the OPP."
Baron was placed on administrative leave in October after The Independent reported that the town was being charged rent, and utilities in lieu of rent on facilities he allegedly owned through a numbered company.
Last March, town documents indicated that council agreed to commit $11,000 towards The Rec Room, and the Fiddick family became the major sponsor with its donation of $10,000.
An investigation was launched into allegations of conflict of interest by independent investigator John E. Fleming, and Baron resigned a month later.
Manny Baron is now the CAO and Clerk in Mapleton, Ontario, a role he took over in January.
He will appear at the Sarnia courthouse on April 16 to answer to the charge.
-With files from Lee Michaels