Mayor of Detroit Kwame Kilpatrick was charged Monday with perjury and other counts after sexually explicit text messages contradicted his sworn denials of an affair with a top aide.
Kilpatrick, who was to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon, could face up to 15 years in prison and be expelled from office if convicted.
Prosecutor Kym Worthy also charged the 37-year-old mayor with obstruction of justice and misconduct in office.
Kilpatrick, the one-time rising star and Detroit's youngest elected leader, refused to step down as mayor and is working "to moving the city forward."
"I am deeply disappointed in the prosecutor's decision. I can't say that I am surprised," he said.
His former chief of staff Christine Beatty, who also denied under oath that she and Kilpatrick shared a romantic relationship in 2002 and 2003, was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice.
The announcement follows an eight-week investigation that was prompted by a Jan. 23-24 Detroit Free Press story that revealed the existence of text messages showing that the mayor and Beatty lied at last year's police whistle-blower trial when they denied having an extramarital affair.
Two previous Detroit mayors have been charged with felonies, both after leaving office.
Source:Xinhua
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