A former commissioner of a local volunteer fire district in Rockland County was charged on Friday with a scheme to defraud the public by arranging a real estate deal between the fire district and one of his own creditors to pay off personal debts, according to federal officials.

Nathan Rothschild surrendered Friday on a felony mail fraud charge in federal court in White Plains, according to U.S. Attorney for the Southern District Preet Bharara.

Rothschild, 54, of Monsey, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted.

“This charge, if proven, represents a serious violation of public trust,” said Bharara. “Public officials should not think that their office can be used as a personal piggy bank.”

Charges were brought against Rothschild after a probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Rothschild was arraigned Friday by federal Judge George A. Yanthis and released on bail after he pleaded not guilty.

Rothschild is former chairman of the Monsey Fire District, which is the financial oversight arm of the all-volunteer Monsey Fire Department. The federal charges do not specify details of the real estate deal or link anyone else to the probe.

Rothschild also served as president of the East Ramapo school board. He resigned that post on Friday as he was hit with the federal mail fraud charge.