A former clerk for the town of Vivian's Water Department was arrested by the Caddo Sheriff's Office on Tuesday for stealing thousands of dollars in water bill payments, said Sheriff Steve Prator.

Machelle Carter, 38, of Rodessa, turned herself in to authorities on a warrant obtained by Sheriff's Detective Frank Edmondson, of the Caddo-Shreveport Financial Crimes Task Force. Carter was booked into the Caddo Correctional Center for theft.

Carter is accused of pocketing $54,000 in cash payments made to the water department between 2004 and 2008 when she worked there as a clerk. Edmondson said Carter altered billing codes to cover the theft of funds on hundreds of occasions over the four-year period.

Bond on Carter's warrant was set at $10,000.