Charges have been filed against a local process server who is accused of stealing more than $63,000 from legal settlements in civil lawsuits.

49-year-old Garry Joe Flanary was arraigned Thursday in 53rd District Court in Howell. He is charged with 12 counts of embezzlement by a public official. According to court records, Flanary, who is a special deputy with the local courts system, kept money from legal settlements that was supposed to be distributed to people involved in civil lawsuits.

Flanary is said to have approached those that owed the money and produced a badge while identifying himself as an officer of the court. He then allegedly kept the money for himself instead of delivering it to the parties to which the money was owed. Testimony shows that Flanary several times deposited the money into his personal bank account.

A probable cause conference in the case has been set for November 26th to determine whether there is enough evidence to send the case to trial.