Who is Michael Cherepko? What we know about the McKeesport mayor arrested on criminal trespassing charge

McKeesport mayor Michael Cherepko was reportedly arrested on Sunday, November 19, in Nashville on charges related to public intoxication and criminal trespassing.

According to the arrest affidavit cited by Trib Live, Michael Cherepko, 46, was reportedly at a Nashville bar/restaurant, Whiskey Row, where he accused the staff of stealing his credit card.

Police who responded to a report of an unruly customer asked Michael Cherepko if he could retrieve the card the next day and warned him not to return to the restaurant for the remainder of the night.

However, Cherepko was arrested after security reportedly called the police and told them that the mayor had tried to get back into the establishment to look for his card.

“Police could smell alcohol on the defendant. The defendant had slurred speech and admitted to being ‘messed up,’” Metro Nashville police reportedly wrote in the affidavit.

Police wrote that the mayor was clearly inebriated at the scene and decided to arrest him, as they deemed him to be a danger to himself.

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McKeesport mayor Michael Cherepko issues apology over recent arrest

Per his website, Michael Cherepko, a Democrat, is a former city councilman who worked as a fifth-grade teacher in the McKeesport Area School District before he was elected to McKeesport in 2011.

Cherepko, who was reelected to a third term in 2020, reportedly lives in the Fawcett Plan neighborhood, where he was raised, with his wife Nicole and two children.

McKeesport mayor Michael Cherepko issued an apology after his arrest on Sunday night over charges related to public intoxication and criminal trespassing. In a statement on Monday, November 20, the McKeesport mayor apologized to his family and constituents.

In the statement, a seemingly contrite Cherepko wrote that a misunderstanding over a credit card that could have been handled the next day should not have escalated into an embarrassing situation.

"This is an embarrassing situation, and I'd like to apologize to my family and my constituents. What started as a misunderstanding over my missing credit card could have been handled the next day with the establishment or my bank.”

Cherepko appeared to take accountability for the incident, saying that he should now face the consequences for his actions:

“I should not have allowed myself to be in a situation like this, and unfortunately, I have to deal with the consequences. That means having my day in court and hopefully being absolved of any charges once the facts are explained."

According to Triblive, Cherepko, who posted a $250 bond, is due back in court on January 5.