Mayor Larry O'Brien speaks after a corporate breakfast meeting at city hall in November. (Darren Brown, OBJ)

Mayor Larry O'Brien has been booked and fingerprinted in connection with his alleged bribery of mayoral opponent Terry Kilrea.

Mr. O'Brien, who joked that he felt "like a rock star," was swamped by reporters as he arrived at the Ontario Provincial Police station in Kanata just before 10 a.m. Monday morning, leaving about half an hour later.

The Ottawa mayor is facing charges that he offered Mr. Kilrea $30,000 and a job at the National Parole Board in exchange for dropping out of the mayoralty race in the 2006 municipal elections.

Mr. O'Brien has decided to stay on as mayor of Ottawa, and has publicly declared his innocence, vowing to plead not guilty and fight the charges in the courts.

None of the criminal charges have been proven in court.

Mr. O'Brien's first court date is scheduled for Wednesday, but he is not expected to attend as he is not required by law to appear and can be represented by a lawyer.

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