A high ranking official in the Canandaigua community is behind bars. The former Executive Director of the Greater Canandaigua Civic Center was arrested and arraigned on Friday morning. YNN's Christina Noce joins us from the newsroom with details on the case.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. -- Police said Michael Cronin, 48, of Canandaigua, embezzled approximately $71,000 from the civic center where he served as executive director since 2007. Details brought to light at the arraignment left Cronin remanded to the Ontario County Jail without bail.

"The allegations came to light about a month ago," said Michael Tantillo, District Attorney.

The Greater Canandaigua Civic Center houses a state-of-the-art ice skating facility, and serves as a community center hosting shows and concerts. It is also home to numerous hockey leagues, including the Canandaigua Knights Youth Hockey Team, where Cronin serves as head coach.

"He's been charged with a crime called grand larceny in the second degree," said Tantillo.

Tantillo said Cronin faces up to 15 years in prison. According to Investigator Scott Kadien with the Canandaigua Police Department, the Civic Center's Board of Directors contacted an attorney, who asked the District Attorney to investigate potential embezzlement charges.

Tantillo said, "I'm familiar with the facts of the case, and believe the case is quite strong."

Kadien said the embezzlement occurred between December 2010 through July of this year. He said Cronin took several hundred dollars, to several thousand at a time. Detective Kadien said no money has yet been recovered or returned.

"Under the law, people who have two prior felony convictions are not entitled to have bail set in a local criminal court, and there's a possibility he may fit into that category," explained Tantillo.

Bill Greer, President of the Board of Directors for the Civic Center, said Cronin has resigned from his position. Greer recently appointed David Korpiel as the new Executive Director. He confirmed that the board conducted the search for Cronin a few years back. Although he couldn't say for sure, he believes that a background check was conducted, and is not aware of any prior convictions on Cronin's record.

Greer noted that the Civic Center will open right on schedule on September 4.

Detective Kadien said Cronin did not speak in court and didn't seem to have much of a reaction to the charges. Cronin will be back in Canandaigua City Court on Monday morning, where a date will be set for the preliminary hearing.