VIDALIA — The former town clerk for the Village of Ridgecrest was arrested Thursday on four charges tied to allegations she stole more than $22,000 within eight months last year.

Shannon Sullivan Beatty, 41, 31 Roseland Forest Drive, was booked into the Concordia Parish jail at 2:56 p.m. Thursday on charges of filing false reports, malfeasance in office, false accounting and theft greater than $500. No bond was set.

Seventh Judicial District Assistant District Attorney Ann Siddall said the warrant for Beatty’s arrest had been signed by Judge Kathy Johnson as the result of an investigation by the state legislative auditor’s office that uncovered irregularities in Ridgecrest’s accounting.

“It was turned over to our office, we continued the investigation and determined at this point there was at least probable cause enough to request a warrant for her arrest,” Siddall said.

The matter is under review, Siddall said, and Beatty will face magistration next week.

Beatty’s alleged malfeasance was first reported in an investigative audit in December. Ridgecrest Mayor Dwayne Sikes brought the matter to the attention of the legislative auditor’s office.

According to the audit, from January to August $121,957 in utility payments were collected, but only $99,473 of those payments were deposited in Ridgecrest’s bank account.

“The rest of the money was not deposited in the account, and Ms. Beatty acknowledged in a written statement taking the $22,383 for her personal use,” the audit stated.

The audit said Beatty allegedly destroyed original deposit slips prepared by a part-time worker and replaced them with ones she had prepared in order to conceal the misappropriated funds. Town records indicate 26 deposits did not match the daily collection totals during the eight-month period.

The village aldermen fired Beatty in August 2013 after she failed to show up for work.

The town clerk who preceded Beatty, Dana Delaughter, and the former mayor, Kevin Graham, pleaded guilty to charges of malfeasance last year.

Delaughter was accused of failing to deposit utility payments, intentionally overstating collections and issuing herself extra payroll checks. In March, Judge Glen Strong gave Delaughter a 15-year suspended sentence and ordered her to pay $58,544 in restitution.

Graham faced charges he used state grant funds for personal use. Strong gave Graham five years supervised probation.