After five years of allegedly taking money while working for a Lancaster city magistrate, Michelle G. Mellinger is hoping for speedy prosecution.

She turned herself in this week on felony theft charges and intends to plead guilty, according to her attorney.

Also, attorney Cory Miller noted, the stolen funds weren't used for any sort of illegal activity.

"She's very remorseful about this," Miller said on Wednesday.

Charges were filed Friday alleging Mellinger stole nearly $20,000 while working as a clerk for District Judge Cheryl Hartman.

Mellinger, 44, stole money from 82 defendants who had paid fines and other court-ordered fees, according to charging documents.

Miller said his client faced hard times when she took the money.

"She's trying to cooperate as much as possible," he said. "She doesn't want to waste the court's or prosecutors' time."

So much so, Miller said, that Mellinger waived a preliminary hearing ahead of time when she surrendered to police on Monday.

She was then freed on $25,000 non-monetary bail. That means she would only have to pay bail if she fails to appear for her next hearing.

"She waived with an anticipated plea coming in the not-so-distant future," Miller said.

Mellinger took the money, which was paid in on 133 separate docket sheets, between 2006 and July of this year, a police affidavit shows.

"My understanding of it is she would take with the expectation she would repay it," Miller said. "I believe the facts will show she did repay some."

"But it was a spiraling cycle," Miller added, "and she was struggling."

"This money wasn't gambled away or wasted in another manner," he said.

Initially, Mellinger was suspected in a pair of thefts, according to the affidavit.

But when a detective came to her home, Mellinger disclosed that she had been taking much more, the affidavit shows.

Also, Mellinger left apology letters on a fellow employee's car after the first thefts were discovered, the affidavit shows.

The total funds equaled $19,710, according to the affidavit.

A couple of dockets were found in Mellinger's desk drawer, but the payments that should have been attached were missing, police allege.

Lancaster County Detective Andrew Morgan filed felony charges of theft by unlawful taking and tampering with public records or information.

Assistant District Attorney Charles Rieck is prosecuting the case.

Mellinger no longer works at Hartman's office at 641 Union St., officials said.

In the event a plea isn't made, Mellinger likely would go to trial next year.

bhambright@lnpnews.com