OPP has laid criminal charges against a top Sudbury Liberal activist in connection with the byelection affair.

Gerry Lougheed, 61, is charged with one count of counselling an offence not committed and one of unlawfully influencing or negotiating appointments.

He will appear in court November 18.

If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to five years in prison.

OPP cleared Pat Sorbara, the premier’s deputy chief of staff.

It all began when NDP MPP Joe Cimino resigned last November, just five months after winning the riding of Sudbury in the June provincial election.

Andrew Olivier, the runner-up in that election, wanted to run for the Liberals again in the byelection last February.

But the premier lured popular local NDP MP Glenn Thibeault to run provincially as a Liberal.

Olivier claimed he was offered a job or an appointment to step aside for Thibeault.

While Kathleen Wynne continues to maintain she’s been open from the start, the opposition parties counter Lougheed was acting on orders from the premier.

PC Leader Patrick Brown says Wynne’s disgraced the office and asked ”Will the premier step aside?”

Wynne was not in the legislature for Question Period but Deputy Premier Deb Matthews said ”We will not second-guess the work of the police.”