Embattled Schuylkill County Clerk of Courts Stephen M. Lukach Jr. has resigned, District Attorney Christine Holman announced Friday.

Lukach, a Democrat who has held the office for 27 years, is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the state auditor and state police after several "irregularities," including making car payments from a county account, were discovered in his accounting and records management.Lukach's office processes criminal court documents.The irregularities surfaced during an audit of the Clerk of Courts' 2012 records, controller Christy D. Joy said.Lukach is accused of spending thousands of dollars in taxpayer money to buy lunches, make car payments and buy electronics and tax preparation software for his own use.The finding included that regular payments of $185 for Lukach's car had come from a fund that holds money from judicial proceedings that is used to support court-related information technology.The problems also included failure to enter bail money information into the county's automated system, deposit checks on time, forfeit bail money to the county, turn over interest to the county's general fund, remit fees on a timely basis, keep records for the automation fund, monitor bank accounts, maintain a safe-deposit box, keep accurate and updated expense records and to secure monies.Lukach's resignation is effective Thursday. Until then, county security will accompany him whenever he is using the office, and the courthouse will be staffed with security round the clock to make sure Lukach does not come in and tamper with evidence.Deputy clerk of courts Paul Steffanic will serve in Lukach's stead until a new clerk is elected.No charges have been filed against Lukach as of this morning.