An investigation into wrongdoing by Schuylkill County Clerk of Courts Stephen M. Lukach Jr. has revealed that he siphoned thousands of taxpayer dollars to buy lunches, electronics and personal tax preparation software.

But the scrutiny, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the state Attorney General, and county officials, continues, and may reveal even more misused money.The discrepancies surfaced during an audit of the Clerk of Courts' 2012 records, Controller Christy D. Joy said. The last internal audit of the Clerk of Courts office, for 2004, was completed by former Controller Gary Hornberger on June 30, 2006.Lukach, a Democrat from Rush Township, has resigned his post of 27 years as of April 17.The Clerk of Courts office processes criminal court documents. Lukach's first deputy, Paul Steffanic, 63, of Pottsville, will taking over Lukach's duties, said Asst. District Attorney John Fegley. Steffanic will be paid the clerk's salary, he said.Governor Tom Corbett could appoint a replacement to serve until the Monday following the next municipal election, Fegley said. The person elected would serve the remainder of Lukach's term."I'm shocked, surprised," Steffanic said of his boss' alleged transgressions. "This is a sad situation," he said.Lukach is a past president of the Pennsylvania State Association of Clerks of Courts and Prothonotaries.Efforts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful.Details revealedDistrict Attorney Christine Holman, along with Joy, First District Attorney Maria Casey, Fegley and chief county Detective Dolly Malec, held a news conference Friday morning to announce Lukach's resignation and to detail the irregularities that led to it.Clerk of Courts office staff also attended the news conference, but did not speak."We have been working day and night for weeks to protect the public and to protect the taxpayers' dollars. We are hopeful that Mr. Lukach will also respect the public's trust, and agree that he will not enter the Clerk of Courts office in between now and the date of his effective resignation," Holman said.To that end, courthouse security will accompany Lukach if he enters the courthouse, and will be posted 24 hours a day through next Thursday in the event that Lukach uses his key card to enter the building after hours. Malec said Lukach has the right to enter the office as he is still the Clerk of Courts."We have to worry about evidence being tampered with, evidence being taken out of the office, evidence being destroyed," she said.Joy discovers discrepanciesIt was Joy who unearthed the wrongdoing.The irregularities included seven car payments of $185 each made to a bank using money drawn from what is called an automation fund in the clerk's office. That fund, built with money from judicial proceedings, is required by law to be used solely for information technology improvements in the office.Lukach, who called the payments a "mistake" made because the account number was similar to his own personal one, on March 17 repaid $1,100, or six of the seven payments, Joy said. Holman said the numbers really were not close.Lukach also used county checks to buy lunches and electronics for himself."We have uncovered five sets of checks, signed by Lukach, where checks have the same check number, from the same account, made out to two separate entities for exactly the same dollar amount," Holman said. "There may be more."For example, one check, number 505, dated Dec. 27, 2011, was made out to an office supply store. The account number is the same account number as a check made out to a local restaurant. The checks were drawn from the automation account."Same amount, same date, same check number," Holman said.Joy said the checks on Lukach's records were made out to, for example, an office supply store. But were really used to pay for a Christmas party at a local restaurant or for his own lunches."When they say there is no such thing as a free lunch, there is for Mr. Lukach," Holman said.Holman said that when Lukach was asked to explain the checks, he could not, other than to say it was a "coincidence."Malec and Fegley visited the office supplies store, got receipts for the purchases. But none of the purchases including a copier, a hard drive, toner and cartridges were for items that were in the clerk's office, Casey said.On April 8, Lukach used a check from the account to buy personal tax preparation software that is not used in his office. He made a similar purchase in April 2013, Joy said."I don't think any one of us here would tell you that Mr. Lukach is not a nice guy. We all like Steve. He was always very affable, friendly, polite," Holman said. "However, we have to do our job, and it's unfortunate."