The Piermont building inspector is under arrest Friday after several complaints sparked a police investigation.

John Angelis, who for the past five years worked at Village Hall, was charged with official misconduct and filing a false instrument after a seven-week police probe.

Civil complaints allege the 41-year-old Angelis was operating a side business at the village's expense.

"It's double-dipping. He's supposed to be the building inspector, he is supposed to work for the taxpayers and residents of Piermont and he was conducting private business," says Piermont Police Department Chief Michael O'Shea.

When the accusations surfaced, Piermont Mayor Chris Sanders suspended Angelis for 30 days without pay.

"If the allegations prove to be true, [they are] definitely a betrayal of trust that the village had in the building inspector and betrayal of trust I had as well," Sanders says.

In a statement, Angelis' attorney Kevin Conway said: "My client is innocent of the charges. We're confident that he will be cleared of the allegations."

Some in the community are incredulous about the charges against Angelis.

"He's a family man," says Frank Messina, a neighbor of Angelis in Suffern. "He's a good, decent person."

"I really think they handled things poorly," he says about the actions taken by the village against Angelis.

Angelis is scheduled to appear in Village Court Aug. 6.

To see extended interviews about the arrest of Piermont's building inspector, go to Channel 612 on your iO digital cable box and select iO Extra.