PARIS — The West Paris fire chief has been placed on unpaid administrative leave following his arrest last week on a single charge of domestic violence assault.

Michael E. Henderson, 35, of 259 Bethel Road, was placed on leave Saturday, according to Town Manager Joy Downing.

Michael E. Henderson Oxford County Jail photo

A longtime member of the West Paris Fire Department, Henderson has spent most of his time there as a firefighter, but served as a lieutenant in 2011 and 2012, and again in 2019, according to town reports from those years. In 2021, he was appointed acting deputy chief and promoted to chief earlier this year, taking over from Troy Billings.

According to Oxford County Jail records, Henderson was charged at 12:59 a.m. Saturday, June 11, in West Paris. He was placed on leave later that day.

He was released Saturday on personal recognizance. The jail does not have a record of the date of his initial appearance in court.

Domestic violence assault is a Class D crime, punishable by up to $2,000 in fines and 364 days in jail.

According to the Maine State Bureau of Identification, Henderson has no criminal history.

Kevin Davis has been named acting fire chief in West Paris.