Schuylkill County Clerk of Courts Stephen M. Lukach Jr. has officially resigned his post in light of accusations that he used taxpayer money to make car payments, buy electronics and other things for his own use.

First Assistant District Attorney Maria Casey told reporters Lukach sent his letter of resignation to Gov. Tom Corbett, according to pubished reports.County commissioners said they that they would wait for confirmation from Harrisburg before issuing a statement.Lukach, a Rush Township Democrat, has held the job for 27 years. This year, his salary was $54,364.19.No charges have been filed against Lukach, but federal state and county agencies are investigating the allegations against him.Corbett, once he accepts the resignation, can then appoint a replacement of the same political affiliation as Lukach. That person would serve until the next election.Meanwhile, Lukach's first deputy, Paul Steffanic, will serve in his stead.County Controller Christy D. Joy uncovered misappropriations of funds as he reviewed financial records of the Clerk's office. The closer Joy looked at the records, the more irregularities he found.Lukach allegedly used money from what is called the automation fund, an account fed by money from judicial proceedings that is designated to be used solely to upgrade technology in the clerk's office, to make the car payments and buy items ranging from toner to personal tax preparation software for his own use.In addition, Joy said that there was $9,050 in cash and a $1,000 check from bail payments in a file cabinet that was last seen on April 8, the last day Lukach was in the office. The money has vanished, and was not deposited in the bank.The investigation is being spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney General. The state and county are also scrutinizing Lukach's records.On Wednesday, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and state troopers spent three hours searching Lukach's office, hauling out several large cardboard boxes of documents and electronics.Lukach, whose home phone number is unlisted, could not be reached for comment.