(Radio Iowa) – The former city clerk in the eastern Iowa city of Eldridge is being charged with four felonies for allegedly using over 76-thousand dollars in city money for personal expenses. Denise Benson was fired last October after working for the the City of Eldridge since 1992. She’d been the city clerk for nearly 20 years. According to a news release from the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Benson’s home was searched earlier this month and officers found several items purchased with the city’s credit card.

Benson is being charged with first degree theft, unauthorized use of a credit card, identity theft and forgery. A special investigation by the State Auditor’s Office was released last month. The report found she used 16-thousand dollars worth of city funds to pay her own credit card bills and she also shopped with the city’s credit card for things like toys, clothes, electronics and a dog door.