This post was updated at 10:25 a.m. to reflect Reed's post-arraignment comments.

Former Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed was charged Tuesday with a battery of theft, fraud and bribery charges that, if proven, would stamp corruption in indelible ink on the Reed Era.

They would also likely put Reed, who has been out of office since January 2010 and has indicated his intent to fight for vindication, in jail.

All in all it is pages and pages of alleged criminal activity against a man hailed for years as bringing the moribund Capitol City back to life culturally and economically, but more recently seen as saddling it with debt for generations.

The charges are believed to be a first installment - but perhaps not the last - from a grand jury investigation that has churned along in Pittsburgh since early 2014, looking at various aspects of Reed Era-governance in Harrisburg.

Reed's defense is expected to be based in part on arguments that the charges against him are largely the product of a revisionist history that's come about because of the failed incinerator upgrades that plunged the city into debt and, eventually, state receivership.

It is true that many of the efforts at the forefront of Reed's actions - the incinerator fix, the quest to develop museums and even his on-again, off-again relations with the council - were a large part of the public debate in Harrisburg.

But it's the behind-the-scenes dealing that kept the Reed machine running - kept under steady scrutiny by a legion of citizen activists and paid forensic accountants - that are now boomeranging back on the former mayor.

Reed, met by his new, Philadelphia-based attorney Henry Hockeimer, appeared for arraignment on the charges at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at Wenner's office in Lower Paxton Twp.

Once the absolute control on what and when local news outlets found out about city crimes, the former mayor had little to say to reporters camped out at Wenner's office Tuesday.

But he did read this statement:

"I am concerned that misperceptions and politics are very much intertwined in these accusations.

"I regarded service as mayor to be a sacred trust and a calling to a high and noble purpose. With the help of good staff and many people who love our city, major progress and projects were accomplished.

"I devoted my life to the city of Harrisburg, and I look forward to waging a vigorous fight against these charges... There is much more to this story. It'll come out eventually. Just not today," Reed concluded.

Kane's office has scheduled a press conference for 11 a.m. at the Capitol to discuss the case against Reed, and where the rest of this investigation could lead.