(WWJ) Dearborn Heights City Councilman Raymond Muscat and his next door neighbor are both facing criminal charges following a dispute that allegedly got out of hand.
Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged Muscat, 64, with a felony and his neighbor Nicholas Diedo, 35, with a misdemeanor.
The incident came to light after police were dispatched to Muscat's house in December after the two got into a fight that eventually wound up outside Diedo's porch.
Muscat faces one count of home invasion, a felony with a maximum penalty of five years behind bars.
Diedo has been charged with one count of trespassing, a misdemeanor with a 30-day maximum penalty.
In his official role, Muscat has been battling Mayor Dan Paletko over financial issues, with members of council siding against the mayor in a quest to get an official overview of the city's finances.
Council members voted 5-2 to hire law firm of Ottenwess, Taweel, & Schenk PLC for a full financial review, citing concerns over money handling.
Paletko opposes the move and has called it a 'witch hunt' numerous times.
For his part, Muscat was recently honored as the first Maltese-American of the Year. "Maltese-Americans like Ray have promoted the advancement of Maltese culture and Maltese-American people for generations," state Rep. Darin Camilleri (D-Brownstown Twp) said at the time.
