SPARTA, Ga. — A government employee with the city of Sparta has been arrested and accused of stealing more than $5,000 in public utility funds.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Joe Wooten, who is in charge of the Region 6 GBI Office in Milledgeville, said Teresa Callaway, who had been working as assistant city clerk, was arrested May 6.

Callaway, who had worked as a city employee for about seven years, was charged with five counts of theft by taking, Wooten said.

A Superior Court judge signed the multiple warrants — all felonies — the day before she was arrested, he said.

After being arrested by GBI Special Agent David Peebles, Callaway was taken to the Hancock County Jail. She since has made bail and been released.

During the course of the investigation by the GBI, it was determined that Callaway had taken “for personal use” a cash deposit of $5,427.54 from the city of Sparta Utilities Department, Wooten told The Union-Recorder.

The theft happened on or about April 18, Wooten said.

There were four additional payments that were converted for her personal use that totaled $390, he said.

“The theft occurred as best we can determine at this time between April 18 and April 22,” Wooten said.

When Sparta police became aware of the theft incidents at city hall, the police chief sought the help of the GBI, Wooten added.

“We’re still continuing the investigation on this and looking to see if there are any similar patterns or anything of that nature or transactions that she may have been involved with,” Wooten told the newspaper.