The former chief administrative officer of Petrolia, Ont., has been charged with breach of trust by a public officer, Lambton OPP announced on Monday.
The charge against Emanuel “Manny” Baron, 43, came as a result of a “lengthy” investigation by the Lambton OPP Crime Unit, police said in a statement, adding Baron will appear in court in Sarnia, Ont., on April 16.
Baron, who was also the town clerk, was placed on paid administrative leave in October after a report in The Independent, a local newspaper in Petrolia, revealed he had not disclosed to council that two buildings being leased to the town were ones he owned.
Property records found one of the buildings involved was sold back to a local developer soon after questions were raised about its ownership, reported The Sarnia Observer.
A report investigating the matter was presented to council in November. Baron resigned soon after on Nov. 14. The report, authored by former London city manager John Fleming, has not been released, despite calls for it to be made public.
Police said they began their investigation on Nov. 6 following an allegation of breach of trust.
Baron became CAO of Petrolia in June 2012, replacing Dianne Caryn. In January, Baron was appointed CAO and clerk of Mapleton, Ont.
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