The former Muddy Creek Township secretary who is in prison for writing herself unauthorized checks will not be released on house arrest.

Dixie Christy, 39, has been serving a 9- to 18-month jail sentence since July, when she was issued that sentence by Butler County Judge William Shaffer.

Four months earlier, Christy pleaded guilty to 103 counts of forgery and one count of felony theft.

Christy, who had been in charge of township payroll beginning in 2002, supplemented her approved paychecks with more than 100 unauthorized checks to herself between 2005 and 2008, totaling $142,000, according to court records.

Her W-2 payroll records showed her pay swelled from $26,000 in 2004 to $93,800 in 2007.

She resigned when questioned about the extra pay.

Her plea arrangement with the Butler County District Attorney's office came with no sentence recommendation, and the judge alone determined her sentence.

Last week, Christy asked the judge to reconsider releasing her on house arrest with electronic monitoring because, she claimed, her incarceration was hurting her family and proving a detriment to her ability to pay more than $180,000 in restitution and court fines.

She also asked the judge to lower the amount of restitution she must pay.

The judge took a few days to review letters Christy's friends and family had written on her behalf, before denying both requests Aug. 13. The judge's ruling does not specify his reasons.

Neither Assistant District Attorney Patricia McLean nor Christy's lawyer, Michael Frisk, was available for comment.

Christy's incarceration will be followed by 10 years of probation.