Federal prosecutors are now handling a case against a Pottsville woman accused of embezzling about $450,000 over seven years from the Schuylkill Conservation District.

That means the county charges against Virginia Kunigonis, 53, will be withdrawn and new federal charges filed.County District Attorney Christine Holman said Wednesday that federal prosecutor Kim D. Daniel contacted her on Feb. 8 to offer to handle the matter because it involves federal money.Holman said she agreed to the offer, and would turn over everything her office has developed on the case.The move will also save the county both time and money, Holman said. She had expected overtime for county detectives, who would have had to comb through dozens of multiple credit card purchases, which would strain the budget. The county also would have had to hire a handwriting expert to verify Kunigonis' signatures on numerous checks.The manpower, time and cost would have strained the office's "meager resources," Holman said."We have other crime going on," she said. "The county is in good hands (with the federal prosecutors)."Kunigonis has admitted to state trooper Bernard J. Walasavage of the Schuylkill Haven barracks that she had taken the money to take trips and pay credit card bills.He had on Jan. 7 charged her with forgery, theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, and access device fraud.If convicted, Kunigonis faces from 33 to 43 months, or up to 51 months if the charges are enhanced, Holman said.Holman said she's hoping Kunigonis is also ordered to pay full restitution.She was arraigned Jan. 7 before District Judge James Ferrier of Orwigsburg. She was released on $100,000 unsecured bail.The conservation district is funded by state and federal grant money, and by the county.Kunigonis told police she used money from the grant accounts and not money from the county because she would have been more easily caught.County Controller Christy D. Joy in June became aware of problems after examining the agency's 2012 financial records, promptingstate police at Schuylkill Haven to launch an investigation.The embezzlement surfaced as district employees were looking for information for an audit.Kunigonis is charged with using a complicated system to make checks out to herself and used agency credit cards to purchase goods from grocery stores, an eyeglass company, and other merchants.