MUSKEGON — A Muskegon County 14th Circuit Court clerk who was fired earlier this year for allegedly stealing public funds has been charged with embezzlement.

Lisa Hovis, 43, who formerly worked as an account clerk for the Friend of the Court division, has been charged with one count of embezzlement by a public official over $50, a 10-year felony, according to Muskegon County Prosecutor Tony Tague.

A warrant was issued Oct. 14, Tague said, but Hovis had not yet been arraigned in Muskegon County 60th District Court as of Monday.

The allegations stem from her receiving child support payments from clients “and taking some of the money for her personal benefit,” Tague said.

Tague said, specifically, on Sept. 14, 2009, Hovis pocketed “$180 from an individual who made a $200 payment and was only given credit for $20.”

Around the same time, the Friend of the Court administrator “noticed there were repeated discrepancies” and contacted the Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office in December 2009, Tague said.

“There was a pattern of missing money,” Tague said.

Hovis had become a court employee in August 2009, Tague said.

The employee was placed on administrative leave shortly after the sheriff’s office was contacted, and Hovis was escorted from the Michael E. Kobza Hall of Justice in February by sheriff’s deputies.

E-mail Heather Lynn Peters at