By Jim Newell

and Susan Carroll

Review Writers

Orion Township Trustee Ronald Sliwinski was sentenced to 14 days in jail, with credit for one day served. He was immediately taken into custody to begin serving his sentence, despite his attorney’s request that he begin serving his sentence on Monday.

Sliwinski was sentenced late Tuesday afternoon by Judge Julie Nicholson in the 52-3 District Court in Rochester Hills.

Sliwinski pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor assault and battery charge on March 21, 2018 stemming from sexual harassment allegations made by a teacher at Lake Orion High School in May 2017.

Sliwinski also was sentenced to 24 months probation and must pay court costs totaling $1,125. He is required to enroll in a mental health treatment program, is prohibited from having alcohol or any controlled substance and is subject to random testing.

The woman who Sliwinski assaulted addressed the court during sentencing, reading a statement and declaring she had done nothing wrong and would no longer be a victim or remain silent.

Sliwinski, as part of his sentence, must also pay $2,200 restitution to the woman for lost wages, therapy and medication expenses. He must also comply with a personal protection order (PPO) the woman has against him.

Sliwinski, 40, of Orion Township, was arrested and then booked at 1:17 p.m. Jan. 30. He was arraigned in the 52-3 District Court on one count of assault and battery before Magistrate Marie Soma and released on a $2,000 personal bond.

Sliwinski has remained silent on the matter, not addressing it publicly, even when Trustee Mike Flood asked him to step down from the board on Feb. 5.

Sliwinski, a former special education teacher at Lake Orion High School, was accused by a fellow teacher of sexual harassment that reportedly included unwanted physical touching, vulgar gestures and degrading comments.

He resigned his teaching position June 6, 2017, according to Lake Orion Community Schools. No one in the district administration or on the school board has publicly addressed the issue.

In November 2017, an unknown person sent 44 envelopes containing the accusations and email exchanges between Sliwinski and the female teacher to Orion Township Hall staff.

The Lake Orion Review will have updates on this story in next week’s issue.