A preliminary hearing for a LeCroy Career Technical Center employee charged for suspected theft of roughly $50,000 has been scheduled for Jan. 7, 2014.

Tameka Winters, 37, was arrested Nov. 26 after the 19th Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office conducted an investigation of suspected theft at the request of the Clanton Police Department due to a conflict of interest.

The investigation began after employees noticed some unusual accounting practices.

Winters was a bookkeeper at the LeCroy Career Technical Center but it is unclear how long she had been employed with the Chilton County Board of Education.

Chilton County Board of Education Superintendent Dave Hayden declined to comment Monday about the investigation or if Winters is still employed with the BOE.

After an investigation, Winters was arrested and warrants were served for one count of theft of property first degree, one count of ethics violations and 16 counts of possession of a forged instrument second degree.

Chief Deputy District Attorney C.J. Robinson said in this particular case, forged instruments referred to checks.

It is estimated that during an 18-month time period, Winters stole roughly $50,000.

Winters was taken to the Chilton County Jail on Nov. 26 with a $100,000 bond.

She has since been released from jail where she will await her preliminary hearing in front of Chilton County District Court Judge Rhonda Hardesty at 9 a.m. at the Chilton County Courthouse.