A former Waleska city manager was arrested Thursday following a four-week investigation into missing city funds, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

Aimee Abernathy, 43, is accused of making fraudulent payroll payments to herself in an excess of $14,000 during the almost five years she served as city manager, Cherokee sheriff’s spokesman Lt. Jay Baker said.

Abernathy, of Cartersville, is also accused of using the city’s MasterCard and Staples account for personal purchases totaling approximately $8,000.

She resigned her position in late October 2015 and turned herself into deputies at the Cherokee Adult Detention Center Thursday afternoon, Baker said. Abernathy is charged with two counts of felony theft, and will remain in custody in lieu of $60,818 bond, according to deputies.

No other details were released.

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Aerial photo shows part of the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area, Thursday, January 31, 2025, in Dawsonville. Atlanta's 10,000-acre tract of forest is one part of the 25,500 acre WMA managed by the state as public recreation land. (Hyosub Shin / AJC)

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