Steve Banks, the former director of Canton Papertown Association, was charged April 25 with embezzling $75 dollars from Canton Papertown.

Banks cashed three checks for $25 made out to Papertown last month and put the money toward personal use. Banks said he cashed the checks as a roundabout way of reimbursing himself for supplies he bought out of his own pocket at the last minute before a celebration to honor the Pisgah Bear high school basketball team

The checks were private donations made out to Papertown. Banks signed his name to the back of the checks and cashed them at a restaurant in downtown Canton. Banks repaid the money within days of the incident. The Papertown board of directors tried to drop charges against him, saying they did not believe he had “criminal intent” but had used poor judgment.

While the Banks incident occurred a month ago and the Guy incidents surfaced 10 months ago, the charges were brought before the grand jury by the district attorney’s office on the same day.