Photo: File photo

The former executive director of the Downtown Penticton Association who is charged with fraud over $5,000 and falsifying documents has elected to be tried by a Supreme Court jury and judge.

Kerrilynn Milton ran the DPA until July 2016, was charged on June 11, 2019 and subsequently released awaiting her first court appearance.

Financial concerns were brought forward by the DPA after finding "irregularities,” which showed up under Milton's leadership in 2016. She also left the DPA in July, the same month these financial disparities, which had been confirmed by a financial auditor, stopped. 

"In November [2016] we turned the file over to the RCMP and on the advice of RCMP we cannot provide further details at this time," reads a public letter from DPA executive director Lynn Allin written in May 2017. 

During this time, Milton had told Castanet she found the allegations of misconduct and financial issues "very disappointing."

Following this, the BC RCMP said they were close to requesting charges from the BC Prosecution Service for what they called "a big, big file," in July 2018. 

In June 2020, Milton was charged with fraud over $5,000 and falsifying documents and arrested. She made her choice for a jury trial on Wednesday morning in Penticton court.

The matter has been adjourned to Nov. 2 to fix a date for trial.