VALDOSTA — Two more agreements have been reached in the case of the federal investigation that involves Alapaha Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Brooks Blitch III ordering payments that were kept off the books and never reported for tax purposes.

Monday, Deputy Sheriff Sissy Suggs, who was paid $20,845 over a six-year span, submitted a resignation, which reads: “I have agreed with the United States Attorney’s Office to the disposition of a pretrial diversion in lieu of filing federal criminal charges. I have to make restitution in the amount of $20,845.”

According to an article in The Clinch County News, Suggs plans to remain employed as administrative assistant to the Clinch County Sheriff.

Deputy Court Clerk Melinda Davis, who was paid $24,655 during the six-year span, also reached an agreement with federal authorities Monday, which includes her plans to resign as of Oct. 31 as part of a pretrial diversion. She is to pay restitution as well.

Davis was named court clerk last month after the resignation of Daniel Leccese, who pleaded guilty in federal court to making $73,286 in illegal payments to himself and other county employees as ordered by Judge Blitch. The payments began in 2001, a month after Clinch County commissioners voted to stop paying employees extra for supervising misdemeanor probationers in addition to their usual job duties.

Blitch’s order reinstated the monthly employee stipends of $250 to $300 that were to discontinue.

When Leccese revealed information about the stipends to the commissioners this year, Judge Blitch was put under investigation.

A June 8 audit revealed that Leccese and four other county employees were paid from a secret account in which the clerk deposited the court fees.

The conspiracy has led to felony charges. Two other county employees, Libby Brown and Sherry Booth, were paid lesser amounts, according to the audit. Brown received $3,650 and Booth was paid $400.