A Galion city employee will appear in Galion Municipal Court at 9 a.m., Tuesday, according the Crawford County Sheriff.
Sheriff Scott Kent said Galion Electric Department Superintendent Tony Slone was summoned the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 23, on a first-degree misdemeanor charge of receiving stolen property. The summons came after Kent confirmed Slone was being investigated for public utilities theft.
Neither Kent nor Galion Communications Director Matt Echelberry would confirm or deny if the matter came from utilities in Slone’s department.
Echelberry said Wednesday morning Slone still was actively employed with the city. Mayor Tom O’Leary said Slone informed city officials of the summons Wednesday and was then placed on paid administrative leave.
O’Leary said Slone’s status with the city could change pending the outcome of Tuesday’s arraignment.
O’Leary said there has been false information spreading on social media. He said many people have claimed Slone was receiving free electric services from American Municipal Power, where the city receives its power supply. O’Leary said it appeared an outdoor 220 electrical line was wired on the property but did not run through the property’s meter.
He said there’s no way of knowing how much electricity was used without being registered on the meter.
@JamesMassaraCCN