The former Muddy Creek Township secretary in prison for writing herself unauthorized checks made her pitch today to a judge to release her on house arrest.

Dixie Christy's incarceration, according to testimony presented in her defense, is hurting her husband and children and proving to be a hurdle to her repaying nearly $170,000 owed in restitution.

Christy, 39, in March pleaded guilty to 103 counts of forgery and one count of felony theft. As of her court appearance today, she had served 35 days of her 9 to 18 months jail sentence, which will be followed by 10 years probation.

Assistant District Attorney Patricia McLean, in court, ardently opposed Christy's house arrest request.

She said the Butler County District Attorney's Office initially wanted the defendant to serve time in state prison.

The defense was hoping to see a house arrest penalty so Christy entered a "straight" guilty plea which called for Butler County Judge William Shaffer alone to determine Christy's sentence.

"Now she wants to renegotiate the plea she agreed to accept," McLean said. "Nine months' jail is incredible mercy that this court showed."

Shaffer said he will rule on the request later, after reading numerous letters of support from Christy's friends and family that were submitted to him Tuesday.