Wilmington Manor Fire Company’s former chief, Stephen J. Maichle, was convicted by a Court of Common Pleas jury of misdemeanor offensive touching for slapping a fellow female employee’s behind.

Maichle was originally charged with third-degree unlawful sexual contact, according to the Delaware News Journal.

The 70-year-old was sentenced to six months’ probation, and he’s not allowed to have contact with the victim, the fire company, or the fire company’s vice president.

He was suspended shortly after the incident and removed as fire chief on April 23.

The New Castle County Fire Service said, “We support the victim in reporting the conduct alleged in this case, and we are confident that both the criminal case and the internal investigation will result in the proper resolution.”

According to court documents, on the morning of March 30, Maichle approached the female employee as she exited the ambulance parked in the building’s apparatus bay. He then slapped her behind and told her to “smile.”

While there were no surveillance cameras to capture the incident, witnesses said they heard a slap. A witness and the woman reported the incident to a supervisor, and the Delaware State Police were notified on April 13.

The fire company scheduled a trial board “with the intent to have…Maichle removed as fire chief.” The internal report provided to a state police detective included an interview with the former fire chief, who said he was “probably in the wrong.”

In the interview, Maichle said he “tapped” the woman’s behind and stated, “good job.”