After a lengthy probe, a former Dakota County employee has been charged with stealing funds intended to help social-service clients and using them to pay her personal bills, including her mortgage.

Aleathea McWilliams, 52, of Minneapolis, has been charged with stealing more than $25,000 in cash and nearly $3,000 worth of bus passes from the county.

Last May, Social Services managers reported to the Dakota County Sheriff's Office that McWilliams, who was responsible for generating paperwork for payment requests made by social service case agents, appeared to be responsible for a series of suspicious payments, according to a complaint filed Wednesday in Dakota County District Court.

Such payments are intended to be used by social service clients for phone service, utility bills and housing assistance.

Instead, McWilliams allegedly used the money to pay $25,511 worth of her own expenses, including her mortgage, utility bills, credit cards, Greyhound bus tickets and a tow service, the complaint says.

During an interview with Dakota sheriff's investigators, McWilliams admitted to creating the false paperwork necessary to transfer funds to pay her bills, according to the complaint. Those alleged crimes began Nov. 25, 2009, and continued through April 26, 2010.

During the investigation, social service workers realized that Metro Transit bus passes, kept on hand for clients, were missing. Distributing bus passes was among McWilliams' duties.

In a search of her home on June 8, authorities found $2,749 in Metro Transit and Metro Mobility bus passes, the complaint said.

McWilliams had worked for Dakota County since 2002 but resigned May 25 after being confronted with the alleged crimes.

She's charged with theft over $5,000 and possession of stolen property valued at $1,000 to $5,000, both felonies.

"Crimes involving the theft of public funds and property are always of serious concern," County Attorney James Backstrom said.

McWilliams, who is charged by summons, is to appear in Dakota County District Court in Hastings on March 21.

Joy Powell • 612-720-4865